WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Thunderstorms, hail slow Oklahoma tornado cleanup

  May 23, 2013 8:16 AM

  OKLAHOMA CITY - A band of thunderstorms is battering the Oklahoma City area and slowing cleanup operations in the southern suburb where a tornado killed 24 people and destroyed thousands of homes earlier this week. The National Weather Service said Thursday that the storms are producing hail, heavy rain... more »

• Okla. City mayor: Up to 13K homes hit by tornado

  May 22, 2013 12:41 PM

  MOORE, Okla. - Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett says 12,000 to 13,000 homes were affected by the tornado that tore through a city suburb. At least 24 people died when the tornado laid waste to Moore on Monday afternoon. The Oklahoma Insurance Department says the financial cost of the tornado... more »

• Kids rescued from rubble at Okla. elementary

  May 20, 2013 4:02 PM

  MOORE, Okla. - Several children have been pulled out of the rubble alive at a school in an Oklahoma City suburb. An Associated Press photographer saw several children being pulled out of what was left of the Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., on Monday after a massive tornado... more »

• One by one, homes in Calif. subdivision sinking

  May 11, 2013 12:36 PM

  LAKEPORT, Calif. - Residents of a Northern California subdivision that is sinking into a hilltop are hoping Gov. Jerry Brown approves a county request for disaster assistance. So far, the Lake County public works director and an expert hired by the county have been unable to determine why groundwater is... more »

• Fire evacuation ends, families allowed back home Play Video

  May 3, 2013 11:05 PM

  DEHNAM SPRINGS - About 30 families will sleep in their own beds this weekend after being forced out of their homes by a large oil storage tank fire. Thursday night, one tank exploded and a few hours later, caught the storage tank adjoining it on fire too. The incident... more »

• Calif. wildfire burns 15-mile path to Pacific

  May 3, 2013 8:18 AM

  LOS ANGELES - A Southern California wildfire cutting a path to the sea has grown to more than 15 square miles, and crews are preparing for another bad day of gusting winds and hot weather. The fire that begun in Ventura County has been running down coastal canyons all... more »

• Fire forces evacuation of campus, homes in Calif.

  May 2, 2013 2:51 PM

  LOS ANGELES - A wildfire raging along the fringes of Southern California communities has grown to more than 10 square miles. Fire officials say the blaze 50 miles west of Los Angeles has spread over 6,500 acres. The fire has forced evacuations of neighborhoods and California State University, Channel Islands. more »

• 2013 Parade of Homes starts this weekend

  April 23, 2013 11:05 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The Capital Region Builders Association will host its 2013 Parade of Homes over the next two weekends. Many of the homes feature outdoor kitchens, pools and home theaters. This year's parade includes 41 homes built by 28 builders in 33 subdivisions, including 11 homes in Ascension,... more »

• Gas found under homes near sinkhole

  April 3, 2013 10:54 AM

  BAYOU CORNE - An unknown gas has been found under the slabs of two homes and a workshop near the Bayou Corne sinkhole. The parish said Texas Brine contractors confirmed that gas was present under the slab of the homes on Sauce Piquante Lane north of Highway 70 in... more »

• Judge rules buyout of neighborhood, resident still on hold Play Video

  March 22, 2013 4:41 PM

  BATON ROUGE - On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Brian Jackson ruled the buyout of 47 homes near a Baton Rouge sewage treatment plant "fair and reasonable". An environmentalist group's lawsuit against the buyout has stopped the plant's expansion until now. Plans for expansion have been ongoing for... more »

• New homes planned for Lower 9th Ward

  December 12, 2012 9:47 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Former professional football players are teaming with New Orleans area builders to construct at least three new homes in the Lower 9th Ward - and they're hoping to have it done in time for Super Bowl 2013. The effort was launched on Tuesday by Touchdown for... more »

• Isaac damaged 59,000 homes in La.

  September 28, 2012 3:45 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Hurricane Isaac damaged nearly 59,000 homes across southeast Louisiana. That is more than four times the number officials estimated a week after the storm made landfall on Aug. 28. The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the most severe damage hit houses and rental... more »

• Realtors: US homes selling at faster pace

  September 5, 2012 4:05 PM

  LOS ANGELES - U.S. homes are taking less time to sell than a year ago, reflecting more homebuyer demand and fewer bank-owned homes and other properties available for sale in some markets. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that the median time a previously occupied home was listed for... more »

• Mayor: Colorado Springs fire destroys 346 homes

  June 28, 2012 5:27 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The mayor of Colorado Springs says a raging wildfire has destroyed an estimated 346 homes, making the blaze the most destructive in state history. Mayor Steve Bach says city officials assessed the damage and that it was subject to change as they get more information. It... more »

• Assessing tornado damage in Dallas area

  April 4, 2012 11:29 AM

  ARLINGTON - The National Weather Service said yesterday's tornado had wind gusts up to 135 miles an hour struck the Dallas suburb of Arlington. Experts are looking for clues today in the debris to determine just how many tornadoes hit the region. The storms damaged hundreds of homes, businesses, but... more »

• Lightning strikes cause fires at two EBR homes Play Video

  April 4, 2012 10:44 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Firefighters said two homes in East Baton Rouge Parish were hit by lightning and caught fire during storms this morning. Eldon Ledoux with St. George Fire Protection District said no one was hurt in either fire. He said in one instance a passer-by knocked on homeowner's... more »

• Colorado firefighters battling wildfire west of Denver

  March 29, 2012 11:22 AM

  CONIFER - Firefighters in Colorado are trying to get a wildfire burning west of Denver contained enough to allow displaced residents to safely return to their homes. About 900 homes have been evacuated. The fire started after crews lost control of a burn intended to reduce the risk of... more »

• Rivers rise, boat rescues at Bundick's Lake homes

  March 22, 2012 11:07 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- Beauregard Parish sheriff's deputies and state wildlife agents have boats at Bundick's Lake to rescue people who didn't hear or didn't heed warnings that storm runoff would raise it to dangerous heights. Chief Deputy Joe Toler says four rescue boats were at the lake Thursday. On Wednesday, sheriff's... more »

• Crews battle blazes at area homes

  March 20, 2012 6:46 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Fire officials are trying to figure out what sparked two early morning house fires in North Baton Rouge Tuesday. Both houses are reportedly abandoned. The first fire broke out just after 4 a.m. on Madison Ave. Moments later, crews responded to another fire at a... more »

• Tornado hits Northern Alabama

  March 2, 2012 10:33 AM

  HUNTSVILLE, AL -  Reports of a tornado touching down in Northern Alabama in Madison and Limestone counties, near the city of Hunstville. So far, there are no reports of injuries. However, the tornado has reportedly caused widespread damage to homes and businesses. There are reports of large... more »

• LDEQ publicly listing meth-contaminated homes

  February 23, 2012 10:44 PM

  BATON ROUGE- If you're in the market for a new home, a new tool can help you make sure your dream home isn't someone else's meth home. More than three years after a new law called for creating a list of meth-contaminated houses, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality... more »

• Foreclosed home sales up in Baton Rouge

  January 27, 2012 10:10 PM

  BATON ROUGE- People in the Capital City area are cashing in on foreclosures. One in ten houses that were sold last Fall were foreclosure purchases. Some homes are going for half the value. Right now, more than 400 are on the market in Baton Rouge. Realtors say the... more »

• FEMA gives $11M to raise homes in Jefferson Parish

  September 10, 2011 9:47 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded more than $11 million to pay for the elevation of 77 homes in Jefferson Parish. FEMA says the homes to be raised are in areas that repeatedly flood. The money comes from FEMA's Severe Repetitive Loss program. The homes... more »

• Early morning fires destroy one home, damage another

  August 14, 2011 10:22 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Fire investigators are trying to determine what started two fires that destroyed one home and damaged another early this morning. The first fire burned the living room of a home in the 4300 block of Mohican Street. Less than a mile away, and an hour later,... more »

• La. metros buck national foreclosure trend

  July 28, 2011 3:44 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- Five Louisiana metropolitan areas have moved up the ladder in the number of residents in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac said Thursday that New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport-Bossier City, Lafayette and Houma-Thibodaux all saw foreclosure activity increase for the first half of 2011... more »

• DPW making progress on blighted BR properties

  June 20, 2011 6:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Dozens of abandoned houses and buildings in Baton Rouge are now community gardens after they were torn down. In less than a year the Department of Public Works has torn down more than 80 houses in the area. DPW planned to have a few more buildings demolished... more »

• Power lines, homes damaged during storm in Pointe Coupee Parish

  June 6, 2011 5:35 PM

  LAKELAND, La.- Nearly 150 homes were without power after a storm damaged part of Pointe Coupee Parish along False River late Sunday night. Entergy worked to fix broken utility poles and power lines along LA-1. Utility crews restored power to the area around 2 p.m. today. Many people... more »

• Several homes, camps flooded in St. Landry Parish

  June 1, 2011 5:39 PM

  ST. LANDRY PARISH - Boat launches are closed and several homes and camps are flooded on Old Cortableau Bayou and Bayou Darbonne in St. Landry Parish. Parish President Don Menard ordered boat launches close due to the increased water levels and the safety hazards boating poses for the residents... more »

• Wildfire comes close to burning homes

  May 31, 2011 5:45 PM

  INDEPENDENCE - A wildfire torched acres of woods behind a neighborhood in Livingston Parish. Firefighters worked over the weekend to put out the blaze, but some trees and shrubs continue to smolder. "You saw pretty quickly this wasn't any fire you were going to throw some buckets of... more »

• Melville flood protection working, so far

  May 24, 2011 5:31 PM

  MELVILLE- Melville work crews say the levee protection around the town is working fine, but there are several homes outside the system where water is starting to creep up. Operator Floyd Davenport, Jr., remembers the last major flood in 1973. Davenport says the problems now are not that bad.... more »

• Water spreading south of Morganza slower than expected

  May 17, 2011 5:11 PM

  KROTZ SPRINGS - Water flowing south from the Morganza Spillway is spreading slower than expected. At Three Mile Lake, near Krotz Springs, a dark green algae line marks where the water level has gone down more than an inch. The Corps of Engineers says that's because drough conditions are... more »

• Flood preparation creates lots of work in St. Landry Parish

  May 16, 2011 5:09 PM

  KROTZ SPRINGS - Some people in the Three Mile Lake area of St. Landry Parish are doing everything they can to save their property, including raising them almost a full story off the ground. Rita Hernandez and her husband paid a contractor to raise a house in their campground... more »

• Feds: Wiring in Chinese drywall homes no risk

  March 18, 2011 5:27 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Federal regulators are no longer advising people to replace the electrical wiring in homes containing tainted Chinese drywall after a study found no safety hazard if the wiring is left in place. On Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban... more »

• Tickfaw rises over roads, into yards in Holden

  March 10, 2011 10:24 PM

  HOLDEN- Some rivers are still hours away from cresting and that's sending people to higher ground. In Holden, at least three major highways are underwater. Countless roads to homes and neighborhoods aren't far behind. And while many are used to what flooding brings, they're still keeping an eye on... more »

• $2.6M deal to settle FEMA mobile home claims

  January 21, 2011 5:40 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Companies that manufactured mobile homes for FEMA after Hurricane Katrina have agreed to pay $2.6 million to resolve thousands of claims the temporary shelters exposed Gulf Coast storm victims to potentially dangerous fumes. Attorneys for plaintiffs and roughly two dozen mobile home makers and their subsidiaries on... more »

• Port of Greater Baton Rouge plans reviewed

  January 5, 2011 5:34 PM

  PORT ALLEN - The public is getting more information tonight about a new project at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge. Center Point Terminals plans to build ten more tanks near their current facility on vacant land near Rivault Park. The Port Allen City Council and the public will... more »

• New home sales rise 5.5 percent in November

  December 23, 2010 10:43 AM

  WASHINGTON - More people purchased new homes in November, but not enough to signal better times are ahead for the battered housing industry. The Commerce Department says sales of new homes rose 5.5 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 290,000 units. That gain came after sales... more »

• Terrebonne Parish demolishing storm-hit homes

  December 12, 2010 12:54 PM

  HOUMA, La.- Terrebonne Parish is planning to demolish about 450 hurricane-damaged homes, mostly in low-lying bayou communities. Parish officials said the structures will be torn down this spring because they are in such dilapidated condition that they pose a threat during future storms. Many of the homes were flooded... more »

• NWS confirms tornadoes in Acadia Parish, Jennings

  November 27, 2010 11:30 AM

  IOTA - The National Weather Service says three tornadoes damaged houses in Acadia and Jefferson Davis parishes, but no injuries have been reported. Meteorologist Donald Jones said Friday that two twisters touched down in Acadia Parish late Thursday and one hit the east side of Jennings. Acadia Parish sheriff's spokeswoman... more »

• IRS: tax break for homeowners with Chinese drywall

  October 7, 2010 7:51 AM

  Taxpayers with homes damaged by tainted Chinese drywall are getting a bit of help from the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS says it will give tax breaks to homeowners who suffered property losses due to bad Chinese drywall installed in their homes between 2001 and 2009. The IRS says repairs... more »

• Volunteers help find homes for abandoned dogs

  September 30, 2010 10:28 PM

  One group has a good track record when it comes to finding homes for dogs that are abandoned. The organization that makes it happen wants to do even more. News 2’s Sylvia Weatherspoon found out why volunteers at YelpBR are on a mission to make a difference. more »

• Pipeline experts say CA explosion unlikely in BR

  September 10, 2010 9:28 PM

  In Louisiana, 50,000 miles of pipeline stretch through dozens of communities. There are few high-pressure lines, like the one that exploded in California Thursday, but pipeline experts said they're some of the most monitored. They're hidden in plain sight-- pipelines carrying natural gas underneath homes and whole neighborhoods. "You have... more »

• Historic homes to be moved for VA hospital

  September 9, 2010 5:19 AM

  About 100 historic homes will be moved to make way for a new Veterans Affairs hospital in New Orleans. Mayor Mitch Landrieu plans to highlight the move on Friday. Under initial hospital plans, the homes were to be demolished, but now they are going to be moved using $3.2 million... more »

• Baker council OKs application for grant

  August 25, 2010 5:59 AM

  The Baker City Council has voted to authorize Mayor Harold Rideau to apply for a grant to repair homes damaged in 2008 by hurricanes Gustav or Ike. If approved, low-income families owning their own residences, but not mobile homes, could apply for assistance. No action can be taken on applying... more »

• Homebuilder confidence sinks for 3rd month

  August 16, 2010 9:09 AM

  Homebuilder confidence dropped for the third straight month in August as the struggling economy and a flood of cheap foreclosed properties kept people from buying new homes. The National Association of Home Builders said its monthly index of builders' sentiment about the housing market fell to 13, the lowest... more »

• Home loan applications little changed

  August 11, 2010 9:38 AM

  Applications for home loans were little changed last week even as mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in decades. The Mortgage Bankers Association said overall applications were up just 0.6 percent from a week earlier. more »

• California Wildfires

  July 28, 2010 11:32 AM

  Wildfires in California have already destroyed about 40 homes, and firefighters are bracing for strong afternoon winds. The wildfires, burning north of Los Angeles, have threatened at least 150 additional homes and forced 2.300 people to evacuate. The two blazes are burning in rural Kern County after scorching... more »

• Mortgage applications fall 4.4 percent last week

  July 28, 2010 8:48 AM

  Applications for home loans fell last week despite the lowest mortgage rates in decades. The Mortgage Bankers Association said overall applications fell 4.4 percent form a week earlier. Applications to refinance home loans dropped 5.9 percent. Those taken out to purchase homes rose 2 percent. Mortgage... more »

• Heavy rain floods homes in West Baton Rouge

  July 25, 2010 10:29 PM

  Dozens of homeowners in West Baton Rouge woke up to nearly a foot of water in their homes Sunday. The remnants of Bonnie hit neighborhoods in Brusly and Port Allen, dumping more water on the area than some residents have seen in decades. "I thought maybe a little... more »

• Sales of previously occupied homes fall 5.1 pct.

  July 22, 2010 11:01 AM

  Sales of previously occupied homes fell in June and are expected to keep sinking, indicating that the housing market's troubles are likely to drag on the economic recovery. The National Association of Realtors says last month's sales fell 5.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.37 million.... more »

• House votes to extend homebuyer credit 3 months

  June 29, 2010 2:48 PM

  The House has passed a bill giving homebuyers an extra three months to complete their purchases and still qualify for a generous tax credit. Under current law, homebuyers who signed purchase agreements by April 30 have until Wednesday to close on the sale to qualify for tax credits of... more »

• Senate approves home tax credit extension

  June 17, 2010 7:17 AM

  The Senate approved a plan to give homebuyers an extra three months to finish qualifying for federal tax incentives that boosted home sales this spring. The move would give buyers until Sept. 30 to complete their purchases and qualify for tax credits of up to $8,000. Under the... more »

• Sales of previously owned homes up 7.6 percent

  May 24, 2010 9:21 AM

  Home sales surpassed expectations for April as government incentives provided a temporary boost to the housing market. The National Association of Realtors said sales of previously owned homes rose 7.6 percent to seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.77 million. That was the best showing in five months and... more »

• MEMA releases preliminary findings on damage

  April 29, 2010 3:24 PM

  Preliminary assessments show more than 700 homes were damaged by last weekend's deadly tornadoes. A total of 390 homes were destroyed or sustained major damage and 341 had minor damage based on surveys conducted by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business... more »

• Foreclosure notices drop in NO, rise in BR

  April 29, 2010 5:34 AM

  The number of homeowners behind on their monthly payments dropped in the New Orleans area during the first quarter, while rising slightly in Baton Rouge and jumping sharply in Houma-Thibodaux. Irvine, California-based RealtyTrac, which tracks foreclosure actions nationwide, also reported drops in the number of homeowners in Shreveport-Bossier City and... more »

• Earthquake in western China kills 400

  April 14, 2010 5:15 AM

  At least 400 people are dead, thousands injured and others buried under rubble after a series of strong earthquakes in western China. Homes collasped and people poured into the streets for safety and to look for relatives. The U.S. Geological Survey says the main quake was a magnitude 6.9 temblor... more »

• Residents trying to get home after fire

  April 2, 2010 10:12 PM

  Four days after a chemical fire, 11 homes and an apartment complex remain off limits. The wait to get back into those homes is taking its toll. News 2 was with Susie Olinde as she went inside her home for the first time in days. She only gets a... more »

• House committee approves carbon monoxide detector bill

  March 30, 2010 11:50 AM

  The House Commerce Committee approved a bill Tuesday morning that requires the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in newly constructed homes. The requirement also extends to existing homes when they're sold after Jan. 1, 2012. A bill making smoke detectors mandatory for older hotels was deferred. Elsewhere at... more »

• Rescue group looking for homes for pythons

  March 23, 2010 9:45 AM

  A reptile rescue group is looking for permanent homes for 21 big pythons confiscated from a snake farm near Oakdale. The Louisiana Association of Reptile Keepers says many are 16 to 19 feet long and seem healthy. Allen Parish deputies arrested David and Tammi Beauchemin - owners of High... more »

• Deadline looms for additional Road Home money

  March 10, 2010 5:15 AM

  Wednesday is the deadline for Road Home recipients to apply for additional money to raise or storm-proof their homes under the aid program. About 40,000 Road Home recipients so far have asked for more money. The Road Home is offering up to $100,000 for homeowners who want to elevate their... more »

• Pending home sales on the rise

  February 2, 2010 10:29 AM

  The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday pending home sales rose 1 percent in December. The index has risen for nine of the past 10 months as buyers scrambled to take advantage of an $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit before its scheduled expiration Nov. 30. Congress extended the... more »

• Citizens paring home policies

  January 15, 2010 6:57 AM

  Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. continues to shed policies. Chief Executive Officer John Wortman says he hopes the company will be down to 120,000 policyholders by the end of 2010. Citizens' "depopulation" efforts have been aided by state grants to entice private insurers to take over the policies from the... more »

• Melancon applauds AG lawsuit over tainted Chinese drywall

  January 14, 2010 5:56 AM

  U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon applauded the Louisiana attorney general's decision to sue companies that made and installed Chinese drywall linked to corrosion and possible health problems. On Wednesday, Louisiana Attorney General James D. "Buddy" Caldwell filed a suit against a slew of companies. Caldwell said the suit would help the... more »

• Home sales far exceed expectations

  November 23, 2009 10:07 AM

  Home resales far exceeded expectations last month, surging to the highest level in 2 1/2 years as first-time buyers rushed to take advantage of an expiring tax credit. The National Association of Realtors said sales rose 10.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.1 million in October,... more »

• Livingston Parish President discusses Chinese drywall

  November 5, 2009 8:20 AM

  Cases of Chinese drywa ll are sprouting all over Louisiana including Livingston Parish. Parish President Mike Grimmer joined John Pastorek and explained what residents need to do if they discover it in their home. more »

• Sorrento sewer problems

  October 21, 2009 9:55 AM

  Despite improvements made to stop sewer ponds from flooding in Sorrento, sewage has backed up into homes and now the town could be forced to pay for the damage. Residents voiced their concerns at a town council meeting Tuesday night. Mayor Blake LeBlanc said the problem stems from... more »

• Home sales drop in Baton Rouge area

  September 16, 2009 5:45 AM

  Home sales in the Baton Rouge metro area fell 4 percent in August, a tighter margin that's seen double-digit gaps every other month this year. Realtors sold 630 homes compared with 658 in August 2008, and dollar volume for the month was down 7 percent. For the year, sales are... more »