WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Tagged News

• News 2 Investigates: Top Ticket Violators

  May 2, 2013 7:12 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Parish Attorney's Office partnered with the City Clerk of Court will now withhold state income tax returns from people with outstanding parking tickets. Weekly, city court judges sign more than 200 money judgments allowing tax returns to be seized to pay off what's owed. ... more »

• Penske fighting stiff penalties

  May 2, 2013 10:25 AM

  CONCORD, N.C. - A three-member appeals board is upholding NASCAR's penalties against Penske Racing, but team owner Roger Penske is taking his case a step further. NASCAR chief appellate officer John Middlebrook will hear Penske's final appeal next Tuesday. Penske was issued the penalties after the cars of... more »

• School truancy fight

  February 19, 2013 7:24 PM

  A school district in Pennsylvania that fined parents excessively for their kids' truancy approved a $265,000 settlement after it was sued. A federal judge ruled the Lebanon School district improperly fined the parents, even though state law allows truancy fines as high as $300. In some cases, the district's fines... more »

• Plan July 6 to outline spending of BP spill fines

  February 4, 2013 10:16 AM

  HOUMA - The committee set up to manage most environmental fines going to the states affected by the BP oil spill of 2010 says it will release its plan July 6. The Courier reports that a seven-page document released last week by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council includes a... more »

• Is flag football ahead for NFL?

  January 29, 2013 5:20 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Players on both Super Bowl teams say they are confused about when a hit is legal by NFL standards. Rules designed to make the game safer are also making players uncertain about which hits are considered clean and which ones could lead to a fine. San Francisco... more »

• Edwards asks feds to end supervised release early

  January 22, 2013 2:37 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana's flamboyant former Gov. Edwin Edwards says he's done his time, paid $2 million in fines and forfeitures and done everything required for his supervised release, and wants the supervision to end now. Federal prosecutors support the request. They say Edwards has served more than 18 months... more »

• BP: Government overestimated size of spill

  January 11, 2013 3:24 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP has urged a federal judge to rule the company can't be penalized for millions of gallons of oil that spewed from its blown-out well but was captured before it could spill into the Gulf of Mexico. A court filing Friday by BP says the federal government... more »

• Ethics board hears appeals for fines Play Video

  September 21, 2012 6:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A state ethics board denied several lawmakers' appeals to have ethics fines against them waived today. The fines in dispute ranged from a few hundred dollars to $8,000, and mostly dealt with campaign finance reports which were filed late or improperly. State Senator Elbert Guillory,... more »

• Audit reveals problems with Leeville toll bridge

  July 30, 2012 5:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE - State auditors say an electronic toll collection system implemented on the LA 1 Bridge in Leeville three years ago continues to struggle with glitches that have been preventing it from collecting some toll violations. In a financial report released Monday, the state auditor's office said the Louisiana... more »

• Congress OK's spending BP fines on Gulf

  June 29, 2012 3:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Congress has voted to set aside 80 percent of water pollution fines BP PLC is expected to pay for its 2010 oil spill and spend that money on ecosystem and economic restoration in five Gulf states. The House and Senate included the provision in a transportation bill... more »

• Last day to pay off fines before BR jail opens

  June 15, 2012 9:41 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Today is the last day people in Baton Rouge can pay off misdemeanor fines and outstanding tickets before the city jail re-opens, and people who haven't could be arrested. Starting Monday, people found with outstanding misdemeanor warrants could wind up behind bars as part of an... more »

• More people paying fines ahead of jail re-opening

  June 12, 2012 3:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Court workers in Baton Rouge saw an increase in people coming in to pay off misdemeanor tickets today, after word got out that people with outstanding fines would be arrested starting next week. The city court reported that by 3 p.m. today, 2,218 people had come... more »

• People line up to pay fines before jail re-opens

  June 12, 2012 9:57 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Lines formed outside city court in Baton Rouge this morning as people waited to pay off fines before the misdemeanor jail re-opens next week. After Monday, June 18, people with outstanding misdemeanor warrants in East Baton Rouge Parish could be arrested and taken to the city... more »

• Study: Job growth if BP fines used for coast

  June 6, 2012 2:42 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A study commissioned by two non-profit groups says thousands of jobs would be created along the Gulf Coast if money from BP oil spill penalties and other sources is dedicated to coastal restoration. The report by the research firm Mather Economics comes as Gulf interests press Congress... more »

• Fines for overgrown yards in Denham Springs

  May 22, 2012 7:43 AM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - Failure to mow the lawn could become expensive for Denham Springs residents. The city council adopted an ordinance Monday that provides for levying fines of up to $500 against owners of overgrown yards and lots. People who let their grass grow too tall could even face... more »

• Terrebonne considering sunken boat removal law

  May 15, 2012 11:03 AM

  HOUMA- Terrebonne Parish officials are considering a law to crack down on owners of sunken boats who abandon the vessels and leave the parish with the bill for removal. If approved, the ordinance would authorize officials who find sunken vessels to identify the owners and issue warnings. If... more »

• Congress punts on setting aside BP fines for Gulf

  March 30, 2012 7:23 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Congress has passed a stopgap three-month transportation bill that does not include a provision to send 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill to Gulf states. The bill was passed Thursday after heated partisan debate. A Senate version of... more »

• House sets aside Gulf oil spill fines for coast

  February 17, 2012 5:45 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. House has approved setting aside 80 percent of fines from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill for environmental restoration work on the Gulf Coast. Late Thursday, the House voted to add an amendment setting aside 80 percent of the fines to the Gulf Coast.... more »

• Dog owner jailed

  February 14, 2012 12:20 PM

  DENVER - A suburban Denver man spent seven hours in jail because his daughter's service dog did not have a license. Matthew Townsend said the dog got out and he was issued a $50 dollar fine, his wife was also given a $100 dollar fine. Townsend said he... more »

• Judge approves multimillion-dollar fine for La. refinery

  December 16, 2011 8:47 AM

  LAFAYETTE - The U.S. Justice Department has slapped Louisiana with the largest criminal fine the state has ever received for violating the Clean Air Act. A federal judge approved Thursday a $10 million fine and an additional $2 million in community service payments to be paid by the Pelican... more »

• Offshore safety chief pushes for fine increase

  October 13, 2011 2:17 PM

  WASHINGTON - The head of the offshore drilling safety agency is telling Congress current fines for offshore violations need to be much stiffer. Michael Bromwich, head of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, says the maximum civil penalty for a violation offshore should be "well into the six... more »

• Nearly $1 million owed for ethics fines

  February 14, 2011 3:47 PM

  BATON ROUGE - We've got an update to a News 2 report from last week. People inside political circles owe nearly $1 million dollars in outstanding fines to the Louisiana Ethics Board. More than three dozen people on the list are from EBR, Livingston and Ascension Parishes. We've tracked some... more »

• Political candidates owe nearly $1 million in fines

  February 7, 2011 5:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Reports show political candidates owe nearly $1 million in fines for ethics violations, according to the Louisiana Ethics Board. Some current elected officials like Port Allen Mayor Derek Lewis are on the list. He did not respond to calls about the status of the $6,000 the report... more »

• BP says government estimate of oil flow too large

  December 3, 2010 10:11 AM

  WASHINGTON - BP is mounting a new challenge to U.S. government estimates of how much oil flowed from the runaway well deep below the Gulf of Mexico. The issue will be critical in determining the size of federal pollution fines the company will pay. Staff working for the presidential oil... more »

• "Clean hands" ordinance seeks to clear unpaid tickets

  November 23, 2010 7:53 PM

  BATON ROUGE – A member of the Baton Rouge Metro Council thinks they have a new solution for collecting thousands in unpaid parking fines. Mike Walker, who represents District 8, is introducing what he calls a “clean hands” ordinance. It requires anyone who wants to get a permit in the... more »

• Failure to pay tickets in Zachary could lead to jail time

  November 1, 2010 6:28 PM

  ZACHARY - Failing to pay a ticket in Zachary could put you behind bars. Authorities there have initiated a crime crackdown, and those with outstanding warrants will pay the price. The initiative is a joint effort by Police Chief John Herty and City Court Judge Lonny Myles to... more »

• Ascension Parish stores busted selling alcohol to minors

  October 29, 2010 3:17 PM

  DONALDSONVILLE, La. - Workers at four stores in Ascension Parish face possible fines for selling alcohol to minors during a sheriff’s office sting operation. Chief Deputy Tony Bacala said investigators with the Juvenile Division took 17-year-olds around to 17 convenience stores in the parish and had them attempt to buy... more »

• Update: Parking Ticket Flap - News 2 Investigates

  October 28, 2010 10:29 AM

  BATON ROUGE- It's a problem we've told you about. A city leader is concerned about the number of outstanding parking tickets in Baton Rouge and fines that are not being collected. Mayor Pro Tem Mike Walker says various city-parish departments are analyzing the situation. He is pushing for clear answers... more »

• Obama urged to use spill fines to restore Gulf

  September 28, 2010 10:54 AM

  The point man on the Gulf coast's restoration recommends paying for the cleanup of the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of petroleum industry with the civil penalties collected from companies responsible for the spill. Billions of dollars will be collected. That recommendation by Navy Secretary... more »

• Zachary could terminate speed van contract

  August 31, 2010 5:12 PM

  Some Zachary city leaders said speed van operations aren't living up to expectations. The Arizona-based company Redflex operates van and trailers in the city. It is equipped with automated cameras that record and photograph speeders. A citation is then mailed to the vehicle's owner. Some council members said... more »

• BP could face up to $21 billion in fines

  August 3, 2010 10:31 AM

  BP could face up to $21 billion in fines stemming from the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. A federal task force says about 206 million gallons of oil gushed out of the busted rig, but more than 33 million gallons were contained. That means 172 million... more »

• Judge disqualifies White Castle Mayor from race

  July 16, 2010 6:46 PM

  White Castle Mayor Maurice Brown was disqualified Friday morning in a Plaquemine courtroom from next year's mayoral election. Brown owes the Board of Ethics $3,000 because of a conflict of interest. In October 2009, the Board fined Brown because he fueled town cars at a gas station at which... more »

• Greek company to pay $1.3M in pollution case

  June 24, 2010 5:59 AM

  A Greek shipping company will pay more than $1 million in penalties and fines after one of its ships illegally discharged oil and failed to report it to authorities. Stanships Inc. of Athens, Greece, agreed to pay a $700,000 criminal penalty, a $525,000 fine and a $125,000 community service payment... more »

• House committee approves bill increasing seat belt fines

  April 13, 2010 11:53 AM

  The House Transportation Committee approved a bill Tuesday morning that would increase seat belt fines from $25 to $50. During the debate, state safety leaders said 64 lives would be saved each year if seat belt fines were increased to $100. News 2's Mike Steele will have more... more »

• Sanction levied against Ralph Slaughter

  March 16, 2010 6:39 AM

  Former Southern University System President Ralph Slaughter has been sanctioned and ordered to pay $8,000 in fines and attorney fees. Southern Board of Supervisors lawyer Lewis Unglesby filed a motion for sanctions against Slaughter. He claimed Slaughter had filed frivolous motions to disqualify both Kelley and fellow state District Judge... more »

• Opelousas offers ticket amnesty

  February 5, 2010 7:16 AM

  Opelousas City Court is conducting a one-month Traffic Ticket Amnesty Program for people with bench warrants in the court's traffic section. The amnesty will run February 15 through March 15 and serves as a limited opportunity to resolve warrants without fear of being placed in jail for being delinquent on... more »

• Man pleads guilty in Baton Rouge court corruption case

  January 20, 2010 6:40 AM

  A 62-year-old Baton Rouge man has pleaded guilty in federal court to felonies unearthed by an ongoing corruption investigation. Federal prosecutors say Samuel L. Wilson Sr. was involved in the fixing of at least 40 criminal and traffic cases. Wilson became the eighth person convicted in the federal investigation when... more »

• SEC stiffens penalties for complaining coaches

  October 30, 2009 11:16 AM

  Southeastern Conference officials announced that coaches will now face stiffer penalties like fines or suspensions for complaining about officiating in the media. Commissioner MIke Slive told the Associated Press in a phone interview Friday that coaches who violate the conference's ethics rules against criticizing officials in public will face... more »

• Saggy pants citations

  September 28, 2009 5:33 AM

  Five people have been ticketed in the two years since Lafourche Parish banned people from wearing saggy pants that publicly show the wearer's undergarments. The ban went into effect July 20, 2007. Saggy pants violators face a $50 fine for a first offense and $100 for the second. The third... more »

• Red light cameras headed to Ascension Parish

  September 18, 2009 5:14 AM

  Last night, the Ascension Parish Council unanimously agreed to allow red light cameras in unincorporated areas. Ascension Parish still needs to decide how many cameras and where to put them. The cameras take pictures of red-light runners and the drivers get a ticket in the mail. The first ticket... more »