WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Tougher drunken driving threshold recommended

  May 14, 2013 12:03 PM

  WASHINGTON - Federal accident investigators recommended Tuesday that states cut their threshold for drunken driving by nearly half, matching a standard that has substantially reduced highway deaths in other countries. The National Transportation Safety Board said states should shrink the standard from the current .08 blood alcohol content to .05... more »

• Bill could allow guns in restaurants Play Video

  May 2, 2013 5:41 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A bill making headway in the legislature could allow people to bring weapons into restaurants. The proposed law, authored by Rep. Henry Burns (R-Haughton), has already been approved by the House and is pending a Senate Judiciary hearing. Burns told News 2, the law was originally... more »

• Bars in La. could see concealed guns approved

  May 2, 2013 10:59 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Restaurant owners are watching a bill which is intended to allow people with concealed carry permits to bring their weapons into bars. The House already approved HB 48 by Rep. Henry Burns (R-Haughton), and it is currently scheduled for a Senate Judiciary committee hearing. The... more »

• Strip club talk tabled

  May 1, 2013 10:15 PM

  GREENSBURG- Leaders in St. Helena Parish tabled discussion about changing parish laws dealing with strip clubs. Wednesday night, the police jury was set to talk about outlawing alcohol at establishments where there is nudity or certain physical contact. But, jurors pushed the talk back another two weeks. Leaders... more »

• Nudity ordinance concerning strip clubs pushed back Play Video

  April 23, 2013 10:14 PM

  GREENSBURG - Strip clubs are turning up the heat in St. Helena, where some are calling for a ban on the adult business. Tuesday, the parish police jury was supposed to discuss an ordinance that would prohibit nudity and certain physical contact at establishments where alcohol is sold. The... more »

• St. Patrick's Day bar crackdown Play Video

  March 15, 2013 10:29 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Along with all the festivities this weekend, comes a safety precaution from Alcohol & Tobacco Control: card hard and drink responsibly. ATC Special Agent Jeff Barthelemy visited a number of Baton Rouge bars today, to make sure every bar employee knows to check identification and to... more »

• City leaders approve historic alcohol law, allowing 24/7 sales

  March 13, 2013 5:28 PM

  BATON ROUGE- For the first time, ever, alcohol will be sold around the clock at some establishments. Wednesday evening, Metro Council approved a special permit allowing sales at casinos. It passed 7 to 4. more »

• 24/7 alcohol sales, elected chief up for discussion Wednesday

  March 12, 2013 9:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Wednesday, city leaders could make a historic change and allow 24-hour liquor sales. The sales would only be allowed on riverboat casinos, if Metro Council approves the change. Currently, city laws don't allow sales after 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and midnight Sunday. Among other... more »

• 2 Your Health stories for March 11, 2013 Play Video

  March 11, 2013 6:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Here are today's 2 Your Health stories for March 11, 2013: People in Louisiana are getting hit by a double-dose of the flu and seasonal allergies. The former is still lingering around the state while constant weather changes have caused the latter to show up early.... more »

• Health stories for March 6, 2013 Play Video

  March 6, 2013 6:30 PM

  UNDATED - Here are today's 2 Your Health stories for March 6, 2013 - Keeping the alcohol sealed may help reduce your risk of cancer. A report found a strong link between alcohol and cancer. Heavy drinkers face the biggest risk, but even a drink a day... more »

• La. bans use of welfare money on tobacco, liquor

  March 1, 2013 5:32 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's social services department has banned the spending of welfare money on cigarettes, alcohol and lottery tickets. The new regulations were issued Friday by the Department of Children and Family Services. They also include restrictions that prohibit the use of a welfare electronic benefit card at liquor... more »

• 24/7 alcohol sales law introduced

  February 27, 2013 8:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A law change was introduced at the city's Metro Council meeting Wednesday, to allow alcohol sales 24/7 at some establishments. The ordinance would allow riverboat casinos to get a special license to sell after other bars are required to close. The item will eventually be available... more »

• BR casinos could get okay to sell alcohol 24/7

  February 27, 2013 3:47 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A few months after changing city law and allowing more alcohol sales on Sunday, city leaders will discuss the possibility of allowing some Baton Rouge establishments to sell alcohol at all hours of the day. Discussions begin at Wednesday night's Metro Council on a special, 24/7 liquor... more »

• Investigation: teen buys booze Play Video

  February 13, 2013 6:08 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused drugs among youth in the United States, responsible for thousands of deaths each year. In a WBRZ investigation, News Two went undercover with state agents to Denham Springs stores to see how they make sure underage teens aren't... more »

• Health stories for Feb. 1, 2013 Play Video

  February 1, 2013 2:39 PM

  UNDATED - Here are today's 2 Your Health stories for Feb. 1, 2013 - People are going red in February for heart month, to make sure you stay heart healthy and know the signs of heart disease. There are "Go Red" events all over the country, including in... more »

• Alcohol and Drug Center looking to expand Play Video

  January 31, 2013 6:16 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge area Alcohol and Drug Center is expanding. The facility has been at its current location for 40 years and is quickly outgrowing its space. With a waiting list which runs 600 people deep, many who need help are turned away. To accommodate... more »

• Ethel man killed in single vehicle accident

  January 29, 2013 10:16 AM

  GREENSBURG - State police say a 21-year-old Ethel man died in a single vehicle crash in St. Helena Parish. The accident happened before 8 p.m. Monday and La. Highway 38 west of Greensburg. Troopers say Evan Vides was westbound when his pickup failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway... more »

• Houma nightclub warned to clean up its act

  January 28, 2013 2:43 AM

  HOUMA - Louisiana's top alcohol enforcement official has warned a downtown Houma nightclub that whether it remains open will depend on how well it responds to public complaints about trash and disturbances. Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Troy Hebert on Friday gave the owner of Houma's City Club 10 days... more »

• Baton Rouge ranked one of America's "drunkest" places

  January 10, 2013 7:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Apparently, people in the Capital City like to drink. And, according to The Daily Beast- a news and opinion website- the city is one of the drunkest in America. Editors used a variety of questions and averages to make their list of " America's 25 Drunkest Cities... more »

• Oregon beer lover makes brew for dogs: Dawg Grog

  January 7, 2013 12:33 PM

  BEND, Ore. - An Oregon man who loves beer and loves his dog has concocted some hooch for the pooch. Daniel Keeton works at Bend's Boneyard Brewery tasting room and calls his canine creation Dawg Grog. KTVZ reports there's no alcohol in the doggie brew. Ingredients include vegetable broth and... more »

• ATC agents abuse state-issued cell phones Play Video

  December 19, 2012 6:45 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Several Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control agents are in trouble for allegedly abusing their state-issued cell phones. An audit by the ATC uncovered records of agents using their state-issued phones for personal business while on the clock. During October, one agent used the phone... more »

• Ex-ATC official's trial postponed

  December 18, 2012 10:54 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The criminal trial of Murphy J. Painter, former commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, has been postponed until April 22. The Advocate reports Painter's trial was scheduled to begin Monday, but U.S. District Judge James J. Brady granted a request for a delay.... more »

• Wrong-way driving crashes claim hundreds of lives

  December 11, 2012 10:29 AM

  WASHINGTON - A federal study says about 360 people a year are killed in wrong-way driving crashes on high-speed highways, a majority of which involve alcohol. The National Transportation Safety Board was meeting Tuesday to review the study and consider recommendations on countermeasures to prevent such collisions. One... more »

• 2 killed in East Baton Rouge Parish crash

  December 7, 2012 10:43 AM

  BATON ROUGE - East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's deputies are investigating an accident that killed two men and injured a third. The accident happened around 1:05 a.m. Friday on Carey Road. Deputies say a car ran off the road and flipped over. Twenty-seven-year-old Christopher McCoy, of Greenwell Springs, and 26-year-old... more »

• Dozens arrested in bar raid south of LSU campus

  November 16, 2012 3:08 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Police and Alcoholic Beverage Control agents arrested more then two dozen people in a compliance check last night at a popular bar near the LSU campus. Cpl. L'Jean McKneely said they made the arrests at Shady's Bar on East Boyd. They said undercover officers inside the... more »

• Port Allen bars losing business after hours change Play Video

  November 8, 2012 5:45 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Bar sales in West Baton Rouge are suffering after a new ordinance in East Baton Rouge took effect last week. Bars are now open Sundays on the east side of the river, and bar owners in Port Allen say it's taking away their business. "Just... more »

• New alcohol ordinance signed in EBR Play Video

  October 30, 2012 5:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Mayor Kip Holden signed an ordinance to relax the city's blue laws and allow bars to sell alcohol on Sundays. Today, bar owners in the area said they're happy they now have the option. "We hope it helps more people come to the areas on... more »

• Father arrested for feeding alcohol to infant

  October 29, 2012 10:13 AM

  GRETNA - Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies have arrested 19-year-old Belle Chasse man for allegedly feeding his 2-month-old son enough alcohol to register a .289 percent blood alcohol content. Cesar Ruiz was booked Sunday with attempted first-degree murder. In Louisiana, drivers are considered legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is... more »

• Father arrested for feeding alcohol to infant

  October 29, 2012 10:06 AM

  GRETNA - Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies have arrested 19-year-old Belle Chasse man for allegedly feeding his 2-month-old son enough alcohol to register a .289 percent blood alcohol content. Cesar Ruiz was booked Sunday with attempted first-degree murder. In Louisiana, drivers are considered legally drunk when their blood alcohol... more »

• Sunday liquor sales creates competition among businesses

  October 28, 2012 9:12 PM

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• Councilman: Permit to 'level playing field'

  October 22, 2012 9:13 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge councilman says the only reason he sponsored a proposal to extend bar hours to 4 a.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays is to create permit fees necessary to fund additional enforcement personnel in the Alcoholic Beverage Control Office. Ulysses Addison says the ABC board has... more »

• Hammond considers new alcohol permits

  October 17, 2012 7:06 AM

  HAMMOND - Police Chief Roddy Devall asked the Hammond City Council to consider rewriting its ordinances regarding the sale of liquor in businesses that are primarily designated as restaurants. Devall's comments came Tuesday as the council was considering its annual approval of High and Low Alcohol Permits for the... more »

• No decision on Sunday alcohol sales in Baton Rouge

  October 10, 2012 10:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Metro Council did not make a decision on changing the Sunday alcohol sales law. After debating for more than an hour, city leaders decided to push the discussion back to the next meeting- in two weeks. Councilwoman Alison Gary proposes easing regulations on Sundays, making that... more »

• Closing times could affect alcohol sales Play Video

  October 10, 2012 5:41 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A new ordinance introduced at Metro Council could allow bars and restaurants with a Class A License to stay open until 4 am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The ordinance would allow eligible establishments to apply for permits to stay open an extra two hours. Though,... more »

• Ordinance for Sunday alcohol sales worries some Play Video

  October 4, 2012 5:44 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Sunday could be just like any other day, when it comes to the sale of wine, beer and liquor in East Baton Rouge Parish. A proposal to remove restrictions on all Sunday alcohol sales has some residents worrying. "I think it would just be an... more »

• Mental hospital closing could affect BR region Play Video

  October 3, 2012 5:09 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A controversial plan to close Southeast Louisiana Hospital could affect drug and alcohol treatment available to people in several parishes, including Livingston. The privately-operated Florida Parishes Human Services Authority operates a 64-bed treatment center on the mental hospital grounds. FPHSA directors say they will not be... more »

• Residents want safer streets after hit-and-run death Play Video

  October 1, 2012 5:53 PM

  GARDERE - State Police arrested a man from Baton Rouge they said left a cyclist lying in the road after he hit her with his vehicle, then fled the scene. Investigators arrested Darby Griffin, 49, in suspicion of DWI, hit and run, driving with a suspended license, obstruction of... more »

• Auburn suspends WR Quan Bray after arrest

  October 1, 2012 10:39 AM

  AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn wide receiver Quan Bray has been suspended following his arrest in Georgia. Tigers coach Gene Chizik said Sunday that Bray won't play Saturday against Arkansas. Chizik hasn't determined how long the suspension will last. Bray was arrested Thursday night during a traffic stop on... more »

• Soldier with hiccups allegedly killed by soldier

  September 26, 2012 12:42 PM

  KILLEEN, TX - A Texas man was reportedly trying to help cure a friend's case of the hiccups. But police say the Fort Hood soldier's efforts went terribly wrong. Police say the men were drinking alcohol and watching football on Sunday night, when Private First Class Isaac Young got... more »

• Tougher road ahead for minors caught drinking Play Video

  September 20, 2012 5:47 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge prosecutor's office now offers a new pre-trial intervention program for minors caught in possession of alcohol. The $750, four-month program is intended for first-time offenders who face Minor In Possession charges. The misdemeanor MIP will be expunged once minors complete the steps. ... more »

• BRPD: Truck driver tested twice legal limit for alcohol

  August 13, 2012 11:01 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Police arrested the driver of an 18-wheeler involved in a dramatic wreck this weekend in Baton Rouge after they said he tested nearly twice the legal limit for alcohol content. Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said King McClanahan, 52, of Los Angeles failed a field sobriety test after... more »

• News 2 Investigates: Is a convicted killer getting special treatment? Play Video

  July 17, 2012 9:55 PM

  PORT ALLEN- A News 2 investigation found a woman convicted in a deadly drunk driving crash has a unique arrangement at the West Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Our cameras captured Victoria Gosserand walking around the prison grounds without handcuffs or shackles this month. The video was filmed less than... more »

• Power Beer

  June 29, 2012 7:28 PM

  Stronger beer will be rushed into stores from brewers and distributors for Sunday after midnight when its legal to sell higher alcohol content product. Its due to a new law that allows alcohol by 10 percent volume. That's up from the previous limit of 5 percent. Brewers, including Louisiana's Abita... more »

• Brat summit angers temperance union

  June 12, 2012 8:17 PM

  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's plan to have a beer and brat (braht) summit to mend fences has upset the group that lobbied successfully for Prohibition decades ago. Women's Christian Temperance Union president Rita Wert says serving beer sets a bad example. Walker called for the summit after he survived a... more »

• Man accused of making underage sons drink liquor

  June 7, 2012 12:51 PM

  SURPRISE, Ariz. - A man in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise is accused of trying to discipline his underage sons by forcing them to drink liquor and throwing them into a swimming pool. KPHO-TV reports that Kristopher Harvey of Surprise faces two counts of child abuse. Police say Harvey wanted... more »

• Hawaii cruise admits serving vodka to toddler

  June 5, 2012 1:23 PM

  HONOLULU - A company that manages a Hawaii dinner cruise says it mistakenly served alcohol to a 3-year-old boy. Army Spc. Bingyan Cai says her son Michael's orange juice contained vodka while they were aboard the Alii Kai Catamaran on May 26. The active duty mom tells Hawaii News Now... more »

• Painter released after federal court hearing

  June 5, 2012 10:40 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal judge released former Alcohol and Tobacco Control commissioner Murphy Painter on his own recognizance after a hearing over several indictments this morning. On May 23, a federal grand jury handed up an indictment against Painter for charges of computer fraud, making false statements and... more »

• 15-year-old dies, one critical in Slaughter crash that killed 5 others

  June 1, 2012 10:37 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A 15-year-old died Friday night after sustaining injuries in a crash in Slaughter that left five others dead. His 13-year-old brother remains in critical condition, according to the victims family. State Police said the man accused causing the crash in East Feliciana Parish had a blood... more »

• Checking Out: Food Stamp Fraud airs tonight at 10 Play Video

  May 10, 2012 5:21 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The State Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) says millions of your tax dollars are being wasted on people abusing food stamp cards. "These food stamps that are meant to buy food for families and children are being used to buy alcohol and tobacco," said... more »

• Pa. school bus driver gets 2 DUI's within 17 hours

  April 2, 2012 12:53 PM

  WASHINGTON, Pa. - A western Pennsylvania man fired after he was charged with driving three busloads of students under the influence of alcohol has been charged with driving drunk in his own vehicle less than 17 hours later. Online court records don't list an attorney for 49-year-old Miguel Rivera, of... more »

• DeQuincy considers modifying alcohol ordinance

  March 12, 2012 7:25 AM

  DeQUINCY - DeQuincy City Council members may soon consider modifying a nearly 80-year-old ordinance limiting the sale of alcohol within the city limits. At the council meeting last week, The American Press reports the owner Comeaux's Cajun Gold, a local restaurant, asked the council to consider increasing the existing limit... more »

• Pat Robertson: pot should be legal like alcohol

  March 8, 2012 12:51 PM

  VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson says marijuana should be legalized and regulated like alcohol because the government's war on drugs has failed. The outspoken evangelical Christian says he has never smoked marijuana, and he is not encouraging it. But he says the war on drugs is costing... more »

• Zachary Council tweaks Sunday alcohol ordinance

  February 29, 2012 6:39 AM

  ZACHARY - The Zachary City Council has approved an amendment to the city's alcohol ordinance that will allow wine and liquor sales on Sundays, beginning at noon. Under current law, beer sales begin at 12:30 p.m. for stores and restaurants. Wine and liquor cannot be sold on Sunday. The council... more »

• Sobriety checkpoint arrests

  February 24, 2012 10:51 AM

  BATON ROUGE - 9 people were arrested last night by Baton Rouge Police on DWI charges. Police conducted a sobriety checkpoint in the 14900 block of Florida Boulevard. Officers screened 208 vehicles and performed 15 field sobriety tests resulting in the arrests. Police also issued 15 traffic... more »

• ATV fatal crash

  February 16, 2012 10:35 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A 52-year-old Belle Rose man was killed in an All Terrain Vehicle accident on Jolimar Street by LA 1 in Assumption Parish. Michael Harris Sr. was traveling north on the southbound shoulder on LA 1 approaching Jolimar Street according to State Police. Harris turned onto... more »

• Alcohol amendment stirs interest in Bogalusa

  February 6, 2012 2:10 PM

  BOGALUSA, La. - A proposed amendment to the Bogalusa city ordinance that prohibits the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages on public property will get a public hearing this week. The proposed amendment would only exempt documented nonprofit organizations that would be required to get Special Event Permits and to... more »

• Metro Council deciding on bars opening Sundays

  October 12, 2011 4:47 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Councilwoman C. Denise Marcelle wants to lower the food sales requirements of bars and restaurants in order to stay open on Sundays. Currently food sales must meet 60 percent of a restaurants total monthly sales. Marcelle wants to lower that number to 55 percent in the... more »

• No illegal drugs in Winehouse death

  August 23, 2011 12:45 PM

  Amy Winehouse's family says toxicology tests show there were no illegal drugs in her system when she died. They say the tests showed "alcohol was present," but it hasn't yet been determined if it played a role in the singer's death last month. The 27-year-old soul diva was... more »

• Alcohol, no seat belt suspected in two deadly crashes

  August 8, 2011 3:36 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Two people were killed in two separate crashes over the weekend in Livingston Parish. Officials believe alcohol impairment and a lack of seat belt were factors in both crashes. The first crash happened Saturday evening on LA-1019 east of LA-1022 in Walker. Troopers say Louis Smith... more »

• EBR to consider moratorium on liquor permits, zoning

  July 26, 2011 10:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Some people claim alcohol causes crime. Now, there's a grassroots push to better regulate neighborhood stores that sell alcohol in Baton Rouge. It started with a temporary ban on liquor licenses just in South Baton Rouge. But other Metro Council members wanted in, so starting Wednesday, the... more »

• Idaho daughter and mother get DUIs an hour apart

  July 19, 2011 12:22 PM

  IDAHO FALLS, Idaho - Idaho authorities say a mother and daughter were arrested for drunken driving within an hour of each other - the mother when she went to pick up her daughter's dog. The Post Register reports a sheriff's officer stopped 28-year-old Alisha Gardner at 10:56 p.m. Saturday... more »

• Man pleads guilty in fatal I-10 crash

  June 7, 2011 11:29 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge man has pleaded guilty to alcohol-related vehicular homicide charges in a fiery Interstate 10 crash that killed five members of a Georgia family, including a 2-year-old, in 2009. A cousin of several of the victims told state District Judge Trudy White Monday that... more »

• Sunday alcohol sales limited in WBR Parish

  May 13, 2011 5:00 AM

  PORT ALLEN - The West Baton Rouge Parish Council has passed an ordinance that will ban businesses in unincorporated areas from selling alcoholic beverages after 10 p.m. on Sunday nights. Business owners say Sunday is their busiest night of the week and shutting down drinking after 10 p.m. would... more »

• Restaurant gives Fla. toddler sangria, not juice

  April 14, 2011 12:38 PM

  LAKELAND, Fla. - Olive Garden restaurants are making changes after a toddler was served alcoholic sangria instead of orange juice at a Florida location. News of the incident comes after an Applebee's in Michigan accidently served a margarita to another toddler. Orlando, Fla.-based Darden Restaurants says the mix-up... more »

• Tufts president ends naked student run

  March 16, 2011 12:30 PM

  MEDFORD, Mass. - The president of Tufts University in Massachusetts has put an end to the student tradition of running around nude to mark the end of the fall semester. President Lawrence Bacow said in an op-ed piece in the student newspaper Monday that the Naked Quad Run has... more »

• Hospital treats 3-year-old alcoholic

  March 15, 2011 1:16 PM

  LONDON - Hospital authorities say they have treated a 3-year-old child for alcoholism. The Heart of England NHS Trust that runs three hospitals in central England confirmed Tuesday that a child had been treated by medical staff after being given alcohol regularly. The trust revealed the data in... more »

• State Police: drugs, alcohol suspected in fatal crash

  March 5, 2011 10:36 AM

  INDEPENDENCE, La.- Louisiana State Police suspect drugs, alcohol and speed were factors in a fatal crash that happened Friday night on LA 40. State Police say Alvin Smith, 34, of Springfield, La. died after driving off the road and into a utility pole. Troopers submitted a sample of... more »

• LSP guard accused of contraband

  March 4, 2011 11:15 AM

  ANGOLA - A security officer at the Louisiana State Penitentiary has been accused of trying to bring marijuana and alcohol into the prison. West Felciana Parish sheriff's Maj. Archer Lee says 21-year-old Darius Montgomery, of Woodville, Miss., was arrested after contraband was found late Wednesday. Lee described the... more »

• Court finds Painter in violation of restraining order

  February 24, 2011 10:34 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge judge found former Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Murphy Painter in violation of his restraining order against Kelli Suire after Painter attended a funeral for Suire's aunt. Painter was initially fined $500 for the infraction but the judge suspended that and placed him... more »

• ABC Board survives Metro Council vote

  February 9, 2011 10:16 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The Baton Rouge Metro Council voted to keep a board intact that regulates alcohol in the city. Councilman Smokie Bourgeois proposed eliminating the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board because he said it was an unnecessary extra step in the process of getting a liquor license, or receiving fines for... more »

• BR alcohol office in question as ABC board heads to chopping block

  February 7, 2011 9:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge city agency tracks alcohol sales just like the state does, and city officials will soon consider abolishing the board tied to it. The Alcoholic Beverage Control office has a $600,000 budget, plus an advisory board. The office is in charge of licensing and... more »

• Industry leader: Abolish Baton Rouge ABC board

  February 7, 2011 11:46 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The head of a Baton Rouge restaurant group says he supports a proposal before the Metro Council to abolish the Alcoholic Beverage Control board. Andy Blouin, president of the Baton Rouge chapter of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, tells The Advocate that eliminating the board would save money... more »

• 22-year-old dies in Livingston Parish car crash

  December 9, 2010 10:54 AM

  DENHAM SPRINGS- A 22 year old man from Denham Springs died in a single-vehicle accident in Livingston Parish last night. Troopers believe speed and alcohol are factors. Seth Hunter was driving southbound on Highway 16 when he over corrected his pickup, after running off the roadway. Hunter's vehicle... more »

• Four Loko changes on the way

  November 29, 2010 5:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The current version of Four Loko will only be in stores for two more weeks, according to officials. The manufacturer says it will only sell a caffeine free version of the drink starting December 13th, after public outcry and scrutiny from officials in several states. ... more »

• Hebert ready to lead ATC office

  November 24, 2010 5:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE- State Senator Troy Hebert says he is ready to resolve some of the problems that have hit the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Governor Bobby Jindal named Hebert as a replacement for former commissioner Murphy Painter who resigned amid scandal in August. Governor Jindal says... more »

• Feds move to ban alcoholic energy drinks

  November 16, 2010 11:36 AM

  WASHINGTON- A New York senator says federal regulators are expected to move to ban caffeinated alcoholic drinks as soon as this week. Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, who has pushed the Obama administration to ban the beverages, said Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration is expected to find that... more »

• Police: Alcohol likely a factor in deadly I-110 crash

  November 5, 2010 5:52 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Police said a combination of alcohol, driving and talking on a cell phone is the likely cause of a fatal crash on Interstate 110 Thursday night. 27-year-old Dana Veillon, Eunice, was going the wrong way when her car collided-head on with a pickup truck then smashed into... more »