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• Czechs help to rebuild West, Texas after blast

  April 24, 2013 8:01 PM

  PRAGUE- To honor thousands of Czechs who settled in Texas more than a hundred years ago, the Czech Republic will donate about $200,000 to help rebuild the town of West, Texas after a fertilizer plant explosion nearly leveled the town. The government says a significant number of people in the... more »

• Three fires worked by firefighters Monday evening

  March 25, 2013 9:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Firefighters were busy Monday evening, dealing with three separate fires. Two of the fires occurred at homes that were abandoned. The first fire was reported at an empty house near the airport on Elm Grove Garden. Electrical lines near the house were singed and fell to the... more »

• People evacuated by sinkhole ask lawmakers for help Play Video

  February 19, 2013 4:21 PM

  BATON ROUGE - People evacuated 200 days ago by a sinkhole in Assumption Parish asked lawmakers today to help them get buyouts for their homes. Residents and parish officials packed a Senate committee hearing today to tell lawmakers about what the past months have been like. They said the... more »

• Super PAC could help Vitter in gubernatorial bid

  January 28, 2013 2:09 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A Washington fundraising heavyweight is helping to set up federal and state super PACs to support U.S. Sen. David Vitter, a move that heightens speculation that Vitter is eyeing a bid to run for governor. Lawyer Charlie Spies (speez) said Vitter supporters filed paperwork Monday with federal and... more »

• Bees get eviction notice after 20 years in home Play Video

  January 8, 2013 6:03 PM

  BATON ROUGE- After two decades, the tens of thousands of bees living in Ruby James' home are getting an eviction notice in the form of a good Samaritan. Jack Lithgoe, the president of the Capital Area Beekeepers club, volunteered to help remove the bees from the home after he... more »

• FEMA center opens in Pointe Coupee Parish

  October 22, 2012 10:27 AM

  NEW ROADS - FEMA workers opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Pointe Coupee Parish this morning to help people there file for help dealing with damage caused by Hurricane Isaac. The center opens at 11 a.m. today at the Scott Civic Center in New Roads, with regular hours of... more »

• Disaster food aid sites open in Felicianas

  September 20, 2012 1:06 PM

  CLINTON - Sites opened today for people in East and West Feliciana parishes who were affected by Hurricane Isaac to apply for or receive disaster food aid. The sites will be open for the next seven days, and will help people get Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, formerly disaster food... more »

• Red Cross, food banks asking for donations

  September 7, 2012 11:31 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Red Cross chapters and food banks across Louisiana have been busy helping people out after Hurricane Isaac, and now they're asking for help as well. FEMA said the organizations are asking for donations to help replenish supplies they've used giving relief to people affected by the... more »

• Texas Brine offering aid for evacuated residents Play Video

  August 16, 2012 6:05 PM

  BAYOU CORNE - Texas Brine LLC announced that starting tomorrow they'll provide financial assistance to people who evacuated the Bayou Corne area because of a large sinkhole. The area grew by 50 ft. this morning, and swallowed a boat. Two men were rescued when a huge chunk of land... more »

• Lafourche SO seeks help in beating investigation

  February 23, 2012 7:40 AM

  THIBODAUX - Authorities in Lafourche Parish are asking the public to help solve the case of a severe beating that happened late last month. The Lafourche Sheriff's Office says the victim apparently suffered his injuries in a fight at a Raceland bar. He was found standing on state Highway 308... more »

• Simulator to help firefighters' driving skills

  February 13, 2012 8:05 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The St. George Fire Protection District will soon have a new simulator to train its firefighters on how to drive fire trucks in emergency situations. The district, which includes south East Baton Rouge Parish, will purchase a driver's training simulator that can replicate the instrumentation, controls and... more »

• Chef John Besh backs loan program to help farms

  October 8, 2011 11:20 AM

  PROGRESS, Miss.- It looks like the perfect, bucolic life - neat barns and a rustic store, cows grazing peacefully under the trees beside a pond, a sprawling house just across the road, and the third and fourth generation of dairy farmers working together. But the life Kenny and Jamie... more »

• 2 Louisiana Guard helicopters on Irene duty

  August 27, 2011 4:19 PM

  PINEVILLE, La.- The Louisiana National Guard has sent eight guardsmen and two helicopters with hoist capability in response to Hurricane Irene The troops and UH-60 Blackhawks have been stationed in South Carolina. The National Guard says the troops and equipment will be dispatched in any area hit by the... more »

• Entergy sending crews to help with Irene outages

  August 27, 2011 3:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Utility crews from major Louisiana power providers are heading east to restore any outages from Hurricane Irene. Entergy Corp. and Cleco Corp. are sending a total of 209 workers to Washington, D.C., to assist Pepco Holdings Inc. Pepco serves about 770,000 customers in Washington and Maryland. Entergy... more »

• Terrebonne Parish getting help from Plaquemines Parish

  May 14, 2011 5:37 PM

  MORGAN CITY - Flood-fighting efforts in Terrebonne Parish are getting some help from eastern Louisiana. The parish has accepted an offer of assistance from Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser, according to his office. The parish was sent trailers with flood tubes, pumps and generators, as well as several... more »

• Universities offer help for Tuscaloosa

  April 30, 2011 11:42 AM

  TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- Though they are huge rivals on the field, Auburn University is among the colleges reaching out to help devastated Tuscaloosa, home to the University of Alabama. U of A chief of staff Nicole Bohannon says six schools have reached out to volunteer as of Saturday. They are:... more »

• Acadia Parish to seek help for Rayne

  April 14, 2011 11:35 AM

  CROWLEY - The Acadia Parish Police Jury is seeking the support of Louisiana's congressional delegation in helping Rayne acquire financial assistance stemming from tornado damage March 5. The police jury unanimously passed a resolution on Wednesday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency rejected Rayne's initial request for financial assistance... more »

• How people can help Japanese earthquake recovery

  March 13, 2011 1:30 PM

  The U.S. government and other nations were sending personnel to assist Japan in its response to the earthquakes and tsunami that have devastated the country. U.S. aid groups were accepting private donations for relief efforts. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has sent two of its officials with expertise in boiling... more »

• Volunteers help increase adoptions at EBR animal shelter

  February 22, 2011 5:47 PM

  BATON ROUGE - More volunteers means fewer animals killed each year, according to workers at the East Baton Rouge Animal Control and Rescue center. Last year more than 6,000 animals were euthanized, which is 2,500 fewer than the previous year. In additions, dog and cat adoptions increased nearly 15%... more »

• Law change would help 32 soldiers' families

  January 29, 2011 11:59 AM

  BATON ROUGE- The governor, lawmakers and soldiers' families hope to change an unequal system of special benefits given to the relatives of Louisiana National Guard troops killed on active duty. The benefits program for guardsmen was created in 2007. A proposal would expand that program back to 2001, paying... more »

• EBRSO: kidnapper's sister helped him escape authorities

  October 19, 2010 5:17 PM

  The sister of convicted kidnapper Demond Cook has been arrested after authorities say she helped her brother escape from sheriff's deputies this morning. East Baton Rouge Sheriff's deputies arrested 32-year-old Tamaika Cook after officials at the Catahoula Parish jail, where Demond was being held, told EBRSO that Tamaika acted... more »

• Food stamp usage increases in La.

  October 13, 2010 6:14 PM

  The number of people on food stamps in Louisiana is staggering. The state is well above the national average. One in five people gets help paying for food, and that’s about 850,000 people. That’s also 19 percent of the population, compared to the national average of about 13 percent. News... more »

• Helpline set up for folks stressed by Gulf spill

  October 7, 2010 7:04 AM

  A toll-free helpline has been set up for people who need help from behavioral healthcare professionals in the wake of the BP oil spill. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has set up the oil spill distress line, using BP funds. The number to call is: 1-800-985-5990. HHS... more »

• Navy offers sailors online help to quit addictions

  October 3, 2010 1:33 PM

  The Navy is teaming up with a highly regarded addiction treatment center to provide Web-based support for thousands of sailors, their families and retired personnel who are struggling with alcohol and drug abuse. The $3.25 million program is intended to keep sailors with addiction problems on the road to recovery... more »

• Lawyer database created for oil spill victims

  August 11, 2010 5:39 AM

  The National Bar Association is creating a database of attorneys for residents seeking legal help in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill. The attorney database will be posted on the group's website. The oil spill already has spawned hundreds of lawsuits and many more claims by individuals and businesses.... more »

• Catholic Charities out of $ for Gulf victims

  August 5, 2010 11:58 AM

  The lifeline that supports thousands of fishermen and their families who are out of money say they've run out. Catholic Charities received just over a million dollars from BP in May. It was supposed to last a month, but the charities stretched it for 3 months. But now they... more »

• Food given to oil spill victims

  July 27, 2010 5:21 AM

  Feed the Children and New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton are teaming up to help 2,800 families affected by the BP oil spill. Today Payton and some of his fellow Saints coaches, as well as country music artist Sammy Kershaw, are scheduled to help distribute food and personal items to... more »

• IRS opens hot line for spill victims

  July 13, 2010 5:59 AM

  Taxpayers affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill can now call an Internal Revenue Service hotline for help. The hot line is designed to answer questions about BP payments or help anyone with filing or payment hardships because of the spill. The number is 1-866-562-5227 and is open from... more »

• La. Dept of Revenue regional offices open Saturday

  June 14, 2010 7:37 AM

  The Louisiana Department of Revenue says its regional offices will be open Saturday for taxpayers who need help. Individuals and businesses can get help from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on a first-come, first-served basis. Taxpayers should bring all relevant records with them. Business owners can also call regional offices... more »

• Catholic Charities helps thousands of fishermen

  May 25, 2010 4:55 AM

  More than 4,600 people hurt by the oil spill have been helped by Catholic Charities. The Archdiocese of New Orleans says that as oil comes ashore and more fishing waters are closed, the church is looking at ways to help those communities. So far, four emergency relief centers have been... more »

• Aid for orchardists, nursery tree growers

  May 18, 2010 5:18 AM

  Orchardists and nursery tree growers can now apply for help to replant or rehabilitate trees, bushes and vines damaged or destroyed by natural disasters. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the benefits are part of the USDA Farm Service Agency's Tree Assistance Program, which covers up to 70 percent of replant... more »

• Heroin on the rise in Baton Rouge

  April 8, 2010 3:16 PM

  Heroin usage is becoming increasingly popular in Baton Rouge, according to rehabilitation clinics and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office. One local rehab clinic reported seeing 60 percent more people over the past year suffering from a Heroin addiction than in years past. One drug addict who... more »

• UN readies Chile quake aid after government seeks help

  March 1, 2010 8:07 AM

  The United Nations says it will rush aid deliveries to Chile after the government asked for help in its recovery from this weekend's massive earthquake. U.N. humanitarian spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs says Chile officially made its request Monday, two days after the 8.8-magnitude quake struck about 200 miles south of the... more »

• How you can help in Haiti

  January 25, 2010 3:40 PM

  br2haiti.com more »

• Local doctor heading to Haiti

  January 16, 2010 6:44 PM

  Dr. James Hines of Baton Rouge packed his bags Saturday afternoon for his trip to Haiti. Hines will join first responders and provide primary health care to victims of the earthquake. "The suffering of the people is really unimaginable and images on TV really can't capture the level of... more »

• 82nd Airborne troops headed to Haiti for quake aid

  January 14, 2010 8:00 AM

  More U.S. forces are getting under way as the military ramps up its mission to help earthquake victims in Haiti. An advance group of a little over 100 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division will leave Fort Bragg in North Carolina Thursday. The Army says the group will find locations... more »

• Red Cross helping fire victims

  December 11, 2009 7:37 AM

  The American Red Cross is helping the victims of the apartment fire on Spanishtown Road. All disaster victims had family and/or friends to stay with, but they were given food and clothing as well as personal hygiene kits. Mental health and health service volunteers are on-call, if needed. more »

• Chinese drywall program approved by LRA

  November 12, 2009 10:33 AM

  The Louisiana Recovery Authority gave its final approval to creation of a $5 million program to help some homeowners rehabilitate property with Chinese drywall problems. But the program requires legislative and federal approvals before it can begin and the aid also won't flow until federal officials devise a national... more »

• Mortgage help possible for homeowners with Chinese drywall

  November 4, 2009 5:50 PM

  There's a push to give mortgage relief to homeowners dealing with Chinese drywall. A resolution in the U.S. Senate would encourage banks and mortgage companies to give homeowners a break on payments so they can move somewhere else while the drywall issue is worked out. It was proposed by senators... more »