WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Tagged News

• Jefferson Parish fines Mardi Gras krewes

  March 27, 2013 8:49 AM

  GRETNA- Six Mardi Gras krewes have been fined from $100 to $2,500 for violating Jefferson Parish's parade ordinance during Carnival 2013. According to public records released Tuesday, The Times-Picayune reports most of the infractions involved unmasked riders and smoking on floats, although two krewes were cited for having too few... more »

• Buku music fest back with bigger lineup

  March 7, 2013 8:58 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- Hip-hop singer Big Freedia and an entourage of booty-shaking "bounce" dancers are using a Mardi Gras float for a stage when the Buku music festival returns to New Orleans this weekend. The two-day Buku Music + Art Project, a hip-hop and electronic dance music festival launched last year,... more »

• 3rd man booked in pre-Mardi Gras shooting

  February 17, 2013 3:11 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans police say a third man has turned himself in to face charges from a shooting on Bourbon Street three days before Mardi Gras. Officer Hilal Williams says 19-year-old Malcolm Hall was booked Saturday with four counts of attempted first-degree murder. An online jail roster indicates... more »

• Cleanup begins in New Orleans after Mardi Gras

  February 13, 2013 12:13 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The crowds and music of Mardi Gras gave way to street sweepers and push brooms in New Orleans' French Quarter this morning. Business owners hosed off sidewalks outside bars, restaurants, strip joins and souvenir shops. A few tourists dodged the Ash Wednesday cleanup, many with smudged... more »

• Mardi Gras debauchery gives way to Lent

  February 13, 2013 8:15 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The glitz and glamour of Mardi Gras has ended, with thousands of costumed revelers preparing to give up the Carnival season's celebrations for the start of Lent on Wednesday. Churches around largely Catholic south Louisiana scheduled Masses at which priests would dot or cross the foreheads of... more »

• Mardi Gras-colored veggies for a Tasty Fat Tuesday Play Video

  February 12, 2013 4:38 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Chef KD whipped up a Mardi Gras specialty today. He made a mixture of purple, green and gold vegetables including red onion, green and yellow squash. He plans to serve it at his restaurant this week over shrimp. If you'd like a full recipe or... more »

• Revelers get soaked chasing chickens, traditions Play Video

  February 12, 2013 2:10 PM

  MAMOU - Mardi Gras revelers in Evangeline Parish ditched big floats and sidewalks for muddy fields and horses today, part of a tradition that's as old as Cajun country itself. The costumed riders traveled around the area to people's homes before ending at the site of the annual chicken... more »

• Mardi Gras parades roll on, draw crowds despite rain Play Video

  February 12, 2013 10:25 AM

  NEW ROADS - Though it thinned the crowds which normally lined lining the streets of New Roads for the town's annual parades, the chance of bad weather didn't stop Louis Daigle. Daigle brought a sign which read "50 percent chance of rain." It helped explain why he was also... more »

• Rainy and stormy on this Mardi Gras Play Video

  February 12, 2013 8:29 AM

  It looks like we will have a pretty soggy Mardi Gras. The cold front has stalled along the coast overnight. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are still popping up around Baton Rouge this morning with mostly cloudy skies. It is cool with temperatures in the 50s. The front will retreat... more »

• Rain expected for Mardi Gras in New Orleans

  February 12, 2013 7:23 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Those flocking to New Orleans can expect a wet Mardi Gras, but the city's biggest free show might not be the washout that once was predicted. National Weather Service forecaster Freddie Zeigler says there's an 80 percent chance of rain Tuesday, with showers likely hitting in the... more »

• New Roads parades should roll as scheduled Play Video

  February 11, 2013 5:54 PM

  NEW ROADS - The two parades scheduled to roll in New Roads for Fat Tuesday will proceed despite threats of rain, according to parade organizers. Organizers said they'll cede any decision to postpone the parade to the mayor of New Roads, who may make a decision tomorrow morning. ... more »

• Officials warn of Mardi Gras flooding

  February 11, 2013 2:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Emergency officials in East Baton Rouge Parish warned people to prepare for several inches of rain over the Mardi Gras holiday. The Mayor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness said forecasts called for heavy rain starting on Lundi Gras and continuing until Tuesday evening. ... more »

• Area bracing for heavy rain on Lundi Gras

  February 11, 2013 10:29 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Officials said they were preparing for heavy rain and flooding ahead of Mardi Gras today. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch through Tuesday afternoon as a cold front moves into the area. Emergency officials in East Baton Rouge Parish said they'd make a... more »

• Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade rolls through Baton Rouge Play Video

  February 10, 2013 10:26 AM

  BATON ROUGE - For Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade-goers, it's a time to let loose, have fun and enjoy carnival season. News Two's own Whitney Vann lead the way as queen of Spanish Town this year. "Today I've met people from Atlanta, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia just for... more »

• Police: 4 wounded in Bourbon Street shooting

  February 10, 2013 10:11 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans police have released a bystanders' video of what they say is an argument involving some people in a Bourbon Street throng raucously celebrating ahead of Mardi Gras when shots ring out, followed by screams. Police spokesman Frank B. Robertson says the shooting in the crowded... more »

• Baton Rouge Mardi Gras makes its own mark Play Video

  February 7, 2013 5:47 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Mardi Gras in the capital city marches to the beat of a different drummer than its cousin in New Orleans. "Whatever Rex is, we try to do the opposite," said Nelson Maddox, a 30-year veteran of Spanish Town's Mardi Gras celebrations. "The king and queen are... more »

• Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade Play Video

  February 6, 2013 5:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Spanish Town Parade board member Bruce Childers stopped by to give us details ahead of the big parade this weekend. He filled us in with the history of the parade and what's new this year. The theme this year is "A Spanish Town Twinkie Ate... more »

• Southdowns Parade changes route Play Video

  February 4, 2013 10:41 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Construction forced a route change for a popular Mardi Gras parade in Baton Rouge. Southdowns won't roll on its usual parade route Friday. Instead, it'll go around sewer work and avoid Cloverdale, which is a popular street for the parade. Cloverdale has been a part... more »

• Authorities discuss Super Bowl security

  January 30, 2013 1:17 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The FBI says no credible threats of terrorist activity have been reported as New Orleans prepares for Sunday's Super Bowl. The head of the New Orleans FBI office and other federal authorities, led by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, discussed security precautions at a news conference Wednesday.... more »

• New Orleans' challenge: policing 2 huge parties

  January 30, 2013 10:57 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - It's an unprecedented security challenge for New Orleans: The increasingly raucous buildup to Mardi Gras gets suspended for a week as 150,000 visitors pack the city for the Super Bowl. The two events bring all the usual worries, from petty crime and public drunkenness to random gunfire... more »

• New Orleans' challenge: policing 2 huge parties

  January 30, 2013 5:36 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - It's an unprecedented security challenge for New Orleans: The increasingly raucous buildup to Mardi Gras gets suspended for a week as 150,000 visitors pack the city for the Super Bowl. The two events bring all the usual worries, from petty crime and public drunkenness to random gunfire... more »

• DOTD: No lane closures during 'Super Gras'

  January 24, 2013 10:12 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Because of the magnitude of special events surrounding Super Bowl and a full slate of parades associated with New Orleans' carnival season, state transportation officials say they are suspending lane closures on all bridges, freeways, expressways and arterial roadways near those activities. The Louisiana Department of Transportation... more »

• African-American tradition returns to Carnival

  January 21, 2013 8:57 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The "baby dolls," an on-again, off-again Mardi Gras tradition of New Orleans' African-American community, are on again. The troupes of women strutting and prancing in bonnets, garters and skimpy or short, ruffled dresses on Fat Tuesday also are spotlighted in a new book and museum exhibit that trace... more »

• Flamingos spotted in Baton Rouge

  January 11, 2013 10:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The pink flamingos are out! Overnight Friday, krewe members of the Spanish Town Parade began setting-up the famous staple of Mardi Gras in the Capital City. The wooden cutouts were positioned in University Lake. The krewe had to deal with some rain as they set-up the... more »

• Clarkson stars at Endymion parade

  October 25, 2012 12:51 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Pop star Kelly Clarkson will ride as celebrity grand marshal when the Krewe of Endymion parade rolls on the Saturday before Mardi Gras in 2013. Clarkson was the first winner of the Fox reality show "American Idol" in 2002. Her hits include "A Moment Like This" and... more »

• Plaquemine to get nighttime Mardi Gras parade

  June 26, 2012 8:08 AM

  PLAQUEMINE- Plaquemine is planning its first nighttime Mardi Gras parade next year. The event is being organized as a tribute to Iberville Parish native Brenda Comeaux, a Mardi Gras enthusiast who died of cancer several years ago. Businessman Chris Daigle, president of the Krewe of Comogo, recently told... more »

• Police: Gunman wearing Mardi Gras mask robs bank

  March 21, 2012 11:43 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Deputies responded to a robbery Wednesday at a bank located on Industriplex Boulevard. It happened around 11:30 a.m. at a Whitney Bank. Reports say a man reportedly walked into the bank with a handgun, jumped over the teller counter and demanded money. The suspect... more »

• Contents of Mardi Gras Museum to be auctioned

  March 8, 2012 7:07 AM

  KENNER - The glitter, the glitz, the pageantry and history of Mardi Gras is up for sale to the highest bidder. The once thriving Mardi Gras Museum, which closed last year as the budget crunch hit Kenner, is putting its varied collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia up for auction Thursday.... more »

• Mardi Gras shooting suspect surrenders

  March 1, 2012 8:40 AM

  PLAQUEMINE - A 25-year-old man wanted for the fatal shooting of another man during a Mardi Gras parade on Feb. 19 has surrendered to authorities. Capt. Kenny Payne of the Plaquemine Police Department tells The Advocate Akeem O. Gailes was arrested at his attorney's office around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Payne... more »

• Mardi Gras Parade murder arrest

  February 29, 2012 3:25 PM

  PLAQUEMINE - An arrest has been made in connection with a murder at the annual Plaquemine Mardi Gras Parade. Akeem Gailes has been booked on charges of 2nd degreee murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, simple battery, and carrying a firearm at a parade used to commit... more »

• New Orleans to host superbowl during Carnival

  February 25, 2012 10:27 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans, which prides itself on its ability to handle huge sports and cultural events, may get its biggest test next year when Super Bowl arrives in town in the middle of Carnival. Mardi Gras falls on Feb. 12, 2013, with parades traditionally about two weeks before... more »

• Krewe throws autistic girl her own Mardi Gras celebration

  February 24, 2012 3:22 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - An 11-year-old autistic girl from New Orleans got a special Mardi Gras treat from the Krewe of Muses Friday afternoon in the form of an entire celebration in her honor. The Krewe extended the gesture to Emily after reading a blog post by her mother detailing... more »

• Man dies after fall from float

  February 21, 2012 9:44 PM

  NEW ROADS- A man was killed after falling off a float earlier today. It happened while the float was being towed away from one of the two parades earlier today. James Lee, 58, was killed when, according to State Police, he " slipped and fell to the ground as... more »

• New Roads throws 90th Mardi Gras celebration Play Video

  February 21, 2012 5:44 PM

  NEW ROADS - Ninety years of Mardi Gras was celebrated in New Roads today. The Community Center Carnival parade and the Lions' Club parade rolled down Main Street in front of thousands. People said they made sure to come out in the masses this year, and the parades registered... more »

• Shrimp and Crab Extraordinaire Play Video

  February 21, 2012 4:48 PM

  Chef KD prepared his "Shrimp and Crab Extraordinaire" for a special Mardi Gras dinner. Shrimp and Crab Extraordinaire 5 Jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined 2 Tablespoons freshly chopped red onions or fine chopped seasoning ½ Tablespoon canola oil 3 oz. fresh lump crabmeat (or dark) 2 Tablespoons plain flour... more »

• Mostly sunny and warm this afternoon

  February 21, 2012 1:09 PM

  We will have some pleasant weather this afternoon! The cold front has moved south of New Orleans now, and in the wake of it we have mostly sunny skies here in Baton Rouge. It is not cold, but rather warm with a high today getting into the lower 70s. ... more »

• New Roads parades rolling today

  February 21, 2012 11:15 AM

  NEW ROADS - The state's oldest Mardi Gras parade outside of New Orleans will roll today in New Roads, with live coverage on WBTR. The New Roads Community Center Carnival parade rolls at 11 a.m. today, with the New Roads Lions Carnival parade to roll immediately afterward. You... more »

• Mardi Gras culminates on Fat Tuesday

  February 21, 2012 8:59 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Rocker Bret Michaels and Grammy-winning singer Cyndi Lauper were expected to usher in Mardi Gras with musical performances in the wee hours of the morning Tuesday during a glitzy ball following the Orpheus parade. Michaels, the bandana-wearing Poison frontman, and Lauper were the celebrity riders in Orpheus,... more »

• Some clouds and a few showers for Mardi Gras

  February 21, 2012 5:28 AM

  Good Morning! Happy Mardi Gras!! A weak cold front will move through Baton Rouge this morning, and it will bring us some clouds with a few showers. Fortunately, most of you will not see any rain, and if you do it will be very light. It is a little cool,... more »

• Jarrett Lee, T-Bob Hebert serve as Zeus grand marshals today

  February 20, 2012 11:06 AM

  METAIRIE- Two LSU football players will lead the Krewe of Zeus when it rolls today at 6:30 p.m. Jarrett Lee and T-Bob Hebert will serve as grand marshals for their 2012 Mardi Gras parade. Wayne Vizzini with the Krewe of Zeus said Lee and Hebert were chosen because... more »

• Mardi Gras teen curfew

  February 20, 2012 10:46 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans police are enforcing a new curfew for teens during Mardi Gras this year. No one under 16-years-old is allowed to be alone and to be without adult supervision in the French Quarter after 8pm. So far during this Mardi Gras season New Orleans... more »

• For Mardi Gras float makers, next year is here

  February 20, 2012 9:01 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Carnival in New Orleans is building toward the out-of-control crescendo of Fat Tuesday. But Barry Kern and his team of float-builders and artists are already planning for next year's party. Kern's Mardi Gras World studio has been operating for more than 50 years and makes or repurposes... more »

• Jeff landfill closed for Mardi Gras

  February 20, 2012 8:59 AM

  GRETNA - Jefferson Parish officials say the parish landfill will be closed on Tuesday for Mardi Gras and there will be no trash collection in Jean Lafitte or unincorporated areas of the parish. Garbage routes usually run on Tuesday will be done on Friday, officials said. Spokeswoman Marnie Winter also... more »

• Children's Parade rescheduled for Monday

  February 18, 2012 4:41 PM

  Lafayette, LA- The Children's Mardi Gras Parade originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon has been rescheduled. Organizers tell News 2 the heavy rains caused them to move the event to Monday. The parade with immediately follow Queen Evangeline's parade. more »

• Road closures for Mardi Gras holiday

  February 17, 2012 5:45 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development released work schedules today for interstate and major road projects throughout Louisiana for the Mardi Gras holidays which begin on Friday, Feb. 17 and ends on Tuesday, Feb. 21. DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas urged drivers to use extra... more »

• Arrest in connection with WBR beating death

  February 17, 2012 10:52 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge man has been arrested in connection with the beating death of another man. Charles Ray Burton is in the West Baton Rouge Parish jail charged with manslaughter. Robert Crowe was found dead in a Plaquemine ditch on Monday after he attended a... more »

• Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade moves start time Play Video

  February 17, 2012 10:30 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The start time of tomorrow's Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade has been pushed back from noon. Parade organizers said they are now scheduled to roll at 4 p.m. Bruce Childers, a parade organizer, said the city and police gave them a window to start between... more »

• 2 shot, 1 arrested during Mardi Gras festivities

  February 17, 2012 8:41 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- Police say two men were shot in the leg during a New Orleans parade that's part of the run-up to Mardi Gras, and a 16-year-old boy was arrested. The victims' wounds were not considered serious. Meanwhile, the teen-ager was booked on a charge of carrying an illegal firearm.... more »

• Ferries on special schedules for Mardi Gras

  February 17, 2012 8:34 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Special hours are set for ferries on the Mississippi River at New Orleans for the weekend and through Mardi Gras. The Algiers-Canal Street ferry will operate for vehicles and pedestrians on Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Final boarding for vehicles will be at 1 p.m.... more »

• Agencies plan DWI crackdown over Mardi Gras

  February 8, 2012 8:00 AM

  LAFAYETTE - Law enforcement agencies across the state are gearing up for a DWI crackdown over the Mardi Gras season. Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Executive Director John LeBlanc says Mardi Gras is one of the deadliest seasons in Louisiana. LeBlanc says the LHSC has provided grants to about 45 police... more »

• Vinton cancels Mardi Gras parade

  February 7, 2012 8:45 AM

  VINTON- Vinton officials have canceled Saturday's Mardi Gras parade because of a lack of participation. Mayor Kenneth Stinson and City Councilman Kevin Merchant tell the American Press it has been an ongoing problem. Stinson says it's not just the Mardi Gras parade. He says the last time the city hosted... more »

• Lafourche, Terrebonne jails make way for Mardi Gras influx

  February 6, 2012 8:38 AM

  HOUMA - Law enforcement officials in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes are taking steps they hope will make room in the parish jails for an expected Carnival season influx. The Courier reports that both jails are at about capacity: 680 inmates in Terrebonne and 245 in Lafourche. Authorities are trying to... more »

• Man arrested in Mardi Gras parade shooting

  March 23, 2011 2:29 PM

  A man wanted in connection with a Mardi Gras parade shooting in Assumption Parish has turned himself in to authorities. Deputies say 19 year-old Jamiah Harris opened fired at the Krewe of Xanadu Parade in Labadieville, that left one man injured. Harris is booked into the Assumption Parish... more »

• Man pitches proposal instead of beads in parade

  March 20, 2011 12:34 PM

  HOUMA, La.- It wasn't a set of beads that Laura Shelton got from a float rider in the recently ended Mardi Gras season. It was a marriage proposal. Her boyfriend Craig Rotzler, was riding on a float in the Krewe of Houmas parade on Fat Tuesday when he held... more »

• Weather doesn't dampen Mardi Gras spirits in New Orleans

  March 8, 2011 6:46 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Gray skies couldn't dampen the spirit as Mardi Gras revelers partied on Fat Tuesday in waves of parading, costuming, drinking - and political commentary. Some bared flesh and threw beads on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. Others wore costumes lampooning the BP oil spill or... more »

• Mardi Gras rolls in New Roads despite rain

  March 8, 2011 5:28 PM

  NEW ROADS- Both the 89th Annual Community Center parade and the Lions' Club parade took to the streets of New Roads on Mardi Gras day. Delays due to severe weather thinned crowds somewhat, but didn't dampen the spirits of those who stuck around for the celebration. The Community... more »

• Streets, yards flood after storm rolls through EBR

  March 8, 2011 4:23 PM

  BAKER - Heavy Mardi Gras rains left behind flooded streets and yards around Zachary and Baker today. Homeowners on Rue Shaylyn in Baker said they were trapped in their homes after water backed up two to three feet deep in their neighborhood. Dominique Edmond said water often backs... more »

• Lundi Gras crowds jockey for prime spots on parade route

  March 7, 2011 5:54 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The stakeout started Monday for prime spots along the Mardi Gras parade route in New Orleans, with legions of Carnival die-hards jockeying for the best places to vie for beads when floats roll on Fat Tuesday. Along streets littered with beads and trash from Sunday night's... more »

• Spanish Town Parade rolling early

  March 5, 2011 9:53 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Because of expected bad weather, organizers with the Spanish Town and Poseidon parades are moving up their start times. Bruce Childress with the Spanish Town parade said the parade will roll at 11:30 a.m., half an hour before the scheduled start time. The parade will follow... more »

• Cross-Country King Cakes

  March 4, 2011 5:36 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The traditional King Cake is essential to make any Mardi Gras party authentic, but not everyone has easy access to the sweet treats. It's why several bakeries are shipping the cakes cross country. "Probably doing about 20,000 to 25,000 king cakes total and a little bit less... more »

• Spanish Town, Poseidon rolling early because of weather

  March 4, 2011 4:05 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Because of expected bad weather Saturday, organizers with the Spanish Town and Poseidon parades are moving up their start times. Bruce Childress with the Spanish Town parade said they plan on rolling at least 15 minutes early of their planned start time noon Saturday because forecasts... more »

• Larose loses Krewe of Babylon parade

  February 26, 2011 5:42 PM

  THIBODAUX, La.- The town of Larose is losing a Mardi Gras parade. Organizers tell The Daily Comet of Thibodaux that the Krewe of Babylon will not roll through Larose this Carnival season after years of financial problems. Babylon has been dissolved, according to Ashley Barrios, the most recent... more »

• 10 food tips for parade watchers

  February 26, 2011 10:41 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The Carnival season is upon us from Shreveport to New Orleans and Lake Charles to Monroe, bringing almost two weeks packed with parties and parades. Do you really think you can avoid all of the usual Mardi Gras food and drink? Probably not, but there are still ways... more »

• Krewe of Orion

  February 18, 2011 11:43 AM

  The Krewe of Orion's 12th annual Mardi Gras parade will roll in downtown Baton Rouge on February 26, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. The parade theme for 2011 is "Ain't There No More". Following the parade theme, each float will be decorated to depict an area landmark (usually an establishment... more »

• Mardi Gras Nitro Jam

  February 17, 2011 10:38 AM

  Celebrate carnival season at the largest drag race in the history of Louisiana. The Mardi Gras Nitro Jam features huge pit parties with floats, beads and family activities capped off with a huge show featuring the world's fastest and most exciting race machines. Bobby Lagana Jr., Top Fuel... more »

• Andy Garcia will be Bacchus

  February 15, 2011 12:34 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Actor Andy Garcia will reign as Bacchus on the Sunday before Mardi Gras. The krewe made the announcement on Tuesday at the National World War II Museum. Its March 6 parade will have a World War II theme this year. Garcia portrayed a mob... more »

• Jindal headed to Washington Mardi Gras

  February 10, 2011 2:56 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal is heading to the nation's capital for the annual Washington Mardi Gras celebration, which includes attending parties, rubbing elbows with members of Congress and lobbyists, and collecting another round of campaign cash. The governor's office announced the trip Thursday, saying Jindal was traveling to... more »

• Mardi Gras: Vieux Carre comand post

  February 9, 2011 2:42 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - This Mardi Gras, police won't have far to haul pickpockets, obnoxious drunks and others arrested in the French Quarter. Officials say mobile command post will be parked in the Quarter on Fat Tuesday and the days leading up to it. They say it will be... more »

• Bedingfield, Tito Jackson headline Family Gras

  February 2, 2011 8:07 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A family-oriented Mardi Gras celebration in suburban Metairie will feature performances by British pop star Natasha Bedingfield, country star Darryl Worley and Tito Jackson, a member of the famous Jackson Family and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Times-Picayune reports that Jefferson Parish is bringing Family... more »

• Bedingfield, Tito Jackson headline Family Gras

  February 1, 2011 4:54 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A family-oriented Mardi Gras celebration in suburban Metairie will feature performances by British pop star Natasha Bedingfield, country star Darryl Worley and Tito Jackson, a member of the famous Jackson Family and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Times-Picayune reports that Jefferson Parish is bringing Family... more »

• Decorative flamingo has flown the coop

  January 19, 2011 4:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A man from Baton Rouge is distraught about his missing pink flamingo. It's a yard decoration Joe Miller puts up every year in celebration of the Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade. "Everyone knows my house by the flamingo, you can't miss it driving down Burbank,"... more »

• Kerns settle family dispute over Mardi Gras floats business

  October 5, 2010 1:50 PM

  A father and son at odds over control of one of the city's oldest Mardi Gras institutions have settled their differences out of court. Barry Kern and his father, Blaine Kern Sr., flanked by the captains of the Bacchus and Endymion carnival krewes, announced Tuesday that Barry Kern will be... more »

• NFL kicks off season New Orleans style

  September 9, 2010 1:19 PM

  WBRZ will be live in New Orleans as NFL opens the 2010 season with the Saints and Vikings in the Superdome. The pregame celebration begins with a Mardi Gras style parade in the French Quarter at 5:00 p.m. Jackson Square will be center stage for a concert featuring... more »

• Football fever sweeps NO as Saints, Vikings meet

  September 9, 2010 12:46 PM

  Tailgating began near sunrise around the Louisiana Superdome though the New Orleans Saints' season-opening NFL game with the Minnesota Vikings wasn't scheduled to start for more than 12 hours. As the Saints prepared to open the defense of their Super Bowl title, the city was in Mardi Gras mode:... more »

• Man acquitted in Mardi Gras bead assault

  June 9, 2010 10:23 AM

  A man in Galveston, Tx. has been acquitted of hitting a woman with a cantaloupe-size bag of Mardi Gras beads. Larry Dean Wiseman was accused of dropping the bag from a second-story balcony. Ingrid Gonzales was hit in the back of her head in Feb. of 2008. Wiseman's... more »

• Mardi Gras liability bill rejected

  June 8, 2010 2:08 PM

  An attempt to limit the liability of Mardi Gras float-builders for damage, injuries or death during parades died in a Senate Committee today. Opponents say protections shouldn't be given to a private business against future attempts for float riders or watchers to sue when parade festivities hurt or kill... more »

• Shreveport may charge more for parade viewing

  April 29, 2010 9:04 AM

  Higher rentals on viewing spots for Mardi Gras parades may help Shreveport shore up the city budget. The Shreveport City Council's public safety committee passed a proposal that would increase the price of rented viewing locations along a parade route. Currently, the city charges $10 to $20 each, but if... more »

• House bill to limit Mardi Gras float-builders liabitlity

  April 18, 2010 12:34 PM

  A bill passed by the Louisiana House would limit the liability of the companies who build the elaborate floats that carry bead-throwing riders at Mardi Gras. Jonathan Compretta, a lawyer and lobbyist in Jackson, Miss., says the measure would make it too easy for float-builders in Louisiana to escape... more »

• Joseph hearing delayed again

  March 12, 2010 8:20 AM

  A competency hearing for Sandra Joseph, charged with the 2009 Mardi Gras death of her 11-year-old son, has been delayed for a second time. The hearing, designed to determine if Joseph is competent to stand trail on the charge of first-degree murder, was delayed earlier this year and reset for... more »

• Ponchatoula man pleads innocent in Ponzi scam

  February 26, 2010 6:44 AM

  A 61-year-old Ponchatoula businessman accused of bilking more than 200 investors out of $11 million has pleaded not guilty to various charges related to running the alleged Ponzi scheme. William Chaucer entered his plea Thursday to one count of failing to register to sell securities and 20 counts of making... more »

• Crews clean up Mardi Gras trash

  February 17, 2010 4:36 PM

  Cleaning crews got to work today in the French Quarter, after revellers left nearly four thousand tons of trash behind. Officials at SDT Waste and Debris say this year's trash was comparable to last year's Mardi Gras. According to the company, the most trash they have cleaned up was... more »

• Mardi Gras peaceful and packed

  February 17, 2010 10:00 AM

  Business dropped off sharply in the Bourbon Street bars on Wednesday, but picked up rapidly in New Orleans churches. Mardi Gras ended at midnight Tuesday and Lent descended on the city, ending what had been a weeklong celebration of the New Orleans Saints victory in the Super Bowl and Mardi... more »

• Mardi Gras winding down

  February 16, 2010 10:28 PM

  The Mardi Gras parades are long over, but party-goers still trying to soak-up the final moments of the Carnival Season. News 2’s Kristy Davis is in New Orleans and found people that have a second reason to celebrate. more »

• People find special throws at parades in New Orleans

  February 16, 2010 4:45 PM

  Throws like krewe beads and coconuts are always prized finds every year on Mardi Gras day. News 2's Chris Nakamoto caught up with some people who got their hands on some good finds. more »

• New Roads Mardi Gras revelry set to get underway

  February 16, 2010 10:04 AM

  Thousands of revelers will converge on the city of New Roads for a Fat Tuesday of food, fun and two traditional parades. New Roads boasts of being the oldest Mard Gras tradition in Louisiana, outside the city of New Orleans. The 88th Community Center Carnival Parade rolls at... more »

• 6 parades roll in Mobile Mardi Gras

  February 16, 2010 9:33 AM

  Six parades are rolling through Mobile's streets to wrap up the Mardi Gras festivities. The final parade, the Order of Myths, is scheduled to roll at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Mobile Police officers are walking the streets and looking for underage drinking. They estimated nearly 25,000 turned out... more »

• Mardi Gras party under way in New Orleans

  February 16, 2010 9:27 AM

  Despite chilly temperatures the big pre-Lenten party in New Orleans is getting hot. Along historic St.Charles Avenue, revelers stacked ladders, chairs, and roped off areas to watch Mardi Gras festivities. Fat Tuesday morning kicked off with Pete Fountain's "Half Fast Walking Club," which is celebrating its 50th year... more »

Tagged Blogs

• A few sprinkles for Mardi Gras

  February 21, 2012

  Happy Mardi Gras!! Short Term Forecast : A weak cold front will move through Baton Rouge this morning, and it will bring us some clouds with a few showers. Most of you will not see any rain. Temperatures are in the lower 50s. This afternoon will become partly... more »

• The Mardi Gras forecast looks fantastic, and warmer weather is on the way

  February 16, 2010

  Happy Mardi Gras!!! Short Term : It is a very cold start to this Mardi Gras!! We have clear skies and temperatures in the upper 20s around the Baton Rouge area. It is very cold in New Roads and even around freezing in New Orleans to across Acadiana! Be... more »

• Plenty of sunshine this week, and warmer by the weekend

  February 15, 2010

  Friday's Snow : The rare snowstorm we had on Friday was short-lived, but it was neat to see! Historically, that was the 3rd time on February 12th that we received snow of 1.0" in Baton Rouge! The other times were on 2/12/1958 and 2/12/1960. Areas along and north of... more »