WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Updated: September 2, 2010 8:11 AM
Source: 2une In

The Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival kicks off tonight in Morgan City, La. Queen Ashley Bahry and Franciso Sterling stopped by 2une In with a special invitation to the annual Labor Day weekend event.

The festival will be held September 2-6, 2010 in downtown Morgan City, La.

Tags Morgan City Shrimp and Petroleum Festival Labor Day Weekend 2une In

Updated: September 2, 2010 11:06 AM
Source: BRPD

Baton Rouge Police are searching the person who shot and killed a man in an early morning shooting.

Police say 24-year-old Ramond Wilford was shot around 3:30 a.m. Thursday in the 1500 block of Marque Ann Drive, and died at the scene.

Officers found Wilford lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds when they arrived on the scene. They have not released a description of any possible suspects, and say they don’t know what the motive for the shooting may have been.

Anyone with information on this shooting should contact the BRPD Homicide Office at (225) 389-4869, or Crime Stoppers at 344-STOP.

Updated: September 1, 2010 11:46 PM
By Michael Cauble
Source: WBRZ Sports

ESPN is reporting that the North Carolina Tarheels may take the field with as many as 16 players suspended from play because of an ongoing NCAA investigation into agent involvement and academic fraud.

Joe Schad is reporting that the offense may be affected by the suspensions, especially being hit at the running back position.

According to Schad, UNC is looking at the possibility of rolling suspensions that would let the Tarheels pick the games that players are going to miss, spreading that time over mulitple games so as not to decimate their roster.

The ESPN report also states:

Defensive end Robert Quinn is being investigated for his alleged interaction with an agent, a source said. Quinn has also worked with the tutor who allegedly wrote papers for some North Carolina players, a source said.

A source said North Carolina may have to play without seven defensive starters, including numerous high draft choice projections.

Among the players in danger of not traveling with North Carolina Friday are: Austin, Quinn, linebackers Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant and cornerbacks Kendric Burney and Charles Brown.

A source said North Carolina may also be depleted at running back on Saturday. The top two running backs for the Tar Heels following spring practice were Shaun Draughn and Ryan Houston. Wide receiver Greg Little has also been questioned about his trips, agents and papers.

The Tar Heels are working with the NCAA and hope to be able to decide before Friday morning which players will not make the trip and which should be held out for precautionary reasons, a source said.

Updated: September 1, 2010 10:31 PM
By Kristy Davis
Source: WBRZ

The top two leaders in Port Allen face corruption charges as a federal investigation grows.

Mayor Derek Lewis and Police Chief Fred Smith face a combined 22 charges. The scheme is known as Cifer 5000, and other public officials have been accused of taking bribes. In this indictment, it's what the two latest officials may have been willing to give in return that really stands out.

It may have come as a shock to some but not to the mayor, himself. Derek Lewis made it very clear to News 2 two months ago he knew he was on the FBI radar. Like others previously indicted in the Cifer 5000 scheme, Lewis and Smith are accused of taking money, sports tickets, dinners and other things in exchange for pushing the garbage can cleaning system. In return, they're accused of giving up confidential law enforcement information and even selling a police badge and position to someone working with the FBI under the guise of Cifer 5000.

When it came to exchanging the money for the information, Lewis allegedly told the informant, "I ain't getting paid to forget... I ain't do nothing that I ain't getting paid to do."

Lewis faces up to 190 years in jail if convicted. Smith faces up to 130 years.

Federal prosecutors said the investigation continues, but this brings the total indicted to six. Former Port Allen councilman Johnny Johnson, Sr. has pleaded guilty. The mayor of New Roads and the mayor and police chief of White Castle are awaiting their trials.

Tags Port Allen mayor police chief indictment Derek Lewis Fred Smith

Updated: September 1, 2010 10:30 PM
By Ashley Rodrigue
Source: WBRZ

Equipment meant to keep you safe is at the center of a dispute between the mayor and Metro Council in Baton Rouge.

Police want another half million dollars to maintain the system, so the council wanted contracts, costs and capability of the cameras in two years of use. What a committee of the council got was an invitation to see those things in private.

"You have a lot of documents there, but if you have something in particular you want to see, I'd be more than happy to make arrangements," said Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden.

Council member Chandler Loupe requested, in particular, the maintenance contract and cost for the crime surveillance and gunshot detector system. He also wanted to know how effective its been. Holden presented a seven-page report about how successful the program is in other cities, which didn't sit well with some on the council.

"We have to rely on them to work as a partnership between the administration and the council so we can do our due diligence," said councilman Joel Boe'. "What they've given us, we can't perform that duty."

"If the surveillance cameras aren't working, we need to know," said councilwoman Alison Cascio. "If they are working, that's great. We just kind of need to get to the bottom of this and see if it is worth our money."

With money a concern throughout the city-parish, some council members will keep the questions over crime cameras coming.

The mayor did not want to comment any further than what was said to council and in the report provided. However, he told the committee the administration will start providing quarterly reports of the system's maintenance costs to council.

Tags council committee police money cameras crime gunshot Baton Rouge

Updated: September 1, 2010 7:57 PM
By Michael Marsh
Source: WPXI TV

A man in New Castle, Pennsylvania died after being shot at close range with a BB gun and police call it a murder. Frank Breitenstein was shot an inch or two away from his chest and the BB went through his skin and tore a key artery. Police believe kids with the gun were shooting out windows and Breitenstein got in their way. Investigators say the shooter is a teen between 15 and 18 and they urged neighbors to come forward with information.

Tags bb gun murder New Castle Pennsylvania Frank Breitenstein

Updated: September 1, 2010 7:49 PM
By Michael Marsh
Source: Associated Press

American-born Taliban John Walker Lindh wants a federal judge to overturn a ban on group prayer at a maxium security federal prison in Indiana. The ACLU made the request on behalf of Lindh and another muslin prisoner Enaam Arnaout. The prisoners contend having to pray alone in their cells once a day violates an Islamic requirement that they pray five times a day and preferably in a group. The government denies it is violating the prisoners' rights. Lindh also contends the Koran requires a clean place for prayer and aruges he's forced to kneel in his cell near his toilet.

Tags John Walker Lindh Taliban prayer ACLU prison Indiana

Updated: September 1, 2010 8:21 PM
By Stephanie Ryan
Source: WBRZ

In an exclusive interview with News 2, Mantle Oil and Gas Company estimates it will take three to six months to clean up an oil and salt water mix left behind after a Paincourtville well blew out in August.

What's in question is how the company will do that.

Right now, Tee Portas with Mantle Oil and Gas said he is not sure what his company will do with tainted sugar cane fields. He said all he can do is guess.

"Bulldozing the contaminated cane and getting it in a large pile, we'll either burn it or haul it away for disposal," said Portas, adding smoke from sugar cane fields could be hazardous.

As for the oil-soaked soil, Portas said he does not know if it will be treated with chemicals or removed altogether.

Portas said he is awaiting approval for the initial plans from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Agriculture.

Portas said the well's only engaged blowout preventer failed Aug. 11th, causing a mixture of oil, natural gas and salt water to spew. Both the well's blowout preventers were tested and functioning properly two days prior, according to Portas, who did not say why only one blowout preventer was engaged at the time of the blowout.

Mantle Oil and Gas will meet with an insurance adjuster later in the week, according to Portas, who said the company will pay farmers for lost product.

Jesse Dugas lives next to the oil-soaked sugar cane fields. He farmed sugar cane for 50 years, and in that time, dealt with the effects of salt water. Dugas said he doubts the three to six months Mantle Oil and Gas estimates for remediation.

"They won't be able to get in there and cultivate it for the next five to six years," said Dugas, adding his nephew had nearly 100 acres of sugar cane with some sort of oil on the plants. "It's a big loss."

The well will be abandoned after cleanup, according to Portas.

"We're gonna be here for a while," said Portas.

Tags cleanup oil Paincourtville blowout well Lee Portas Mantle Oil and Gas Jesse Dugas

Updated: September 1, 2010 11:47 PM
By Michael Kelly
Source: WBRZ Sports 2

Les Miles told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday that starting tight end DeAngelo Peterson will miss the season opener against North Carolina due to an ankle injury.

Peterson, a 6-feet-3, 240-pound junior, caught five passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns last season as a backup to Richard Dickson.

The Tigers will also play without linebacker Ryan Baker (broken jaw), wide receiver Chris Tolliver (concussion) and safety Karnell Hatcher (knee).

Tags LSU Tigers Les Miles DeAngelo Peterson SEC UNC

Updated: September 1, 2010 6:51 PM
By Heather Harel, Rachel Frost
Source: WBRZ

New “green” projects at LSU could save the university thousands of dollars.

The school is testing a new program that automatically turns computers to power-save mode. With 6,000 computers on campus, that could save LSU more than $300,000 a year.

Several buildings on campus have also switched to water-saving toilets. By flushing upwards, the toilet uses half as much water as a normal flush.

Campus sustainability manager Denise Newell said getting students to “go green” starts in the classroom.

“What’s important is we’re trying to integrate sustainability into the curriculum. As a flagship university, we need to be the role model for the local community, as well as other schools within Louisiana,” said Newell.

LSU hopes to install the power-save program on all computers by the end of the year.

Tags green projects LSU computers Denise Newell