WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• More people talking about 'outdated' car seat law Play Video

  May 20, 2013 10:17 PM

  GONZALES- More experts suggest a state law needs to be changed, so drivers have a clearer understanding of the proper way young children should be restrained in car seats. A WBRZ News 2 Investigation found the law is outdated. Doctors recommend babies remain rear facing until they are two-years-old.... more »

• Parish approves stiffer underage drinking laws Play Video

  May 16, 2013 4:44 PM

  GONZALES - Tonight council members in Ascension Parish approved an ordinance making it illegal for anyone under 18 to drink alcohol in private homes, unless they are with their parents or guardians. It's currently against state law for anyone under 21 to buy alcohol. However, Council Chairman Chris Loar... more »

• Lawmakers to look at conflicting law after News 2 report Play Video

  May 14, 2013 9:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana lawmakers plan to take a look at resolving the frontwards/backwards child seat requirements. State law tells parents to face kids a year and older forward in their car seats. But a American Academy of Pediatrics 2011 study showed children under two are 75 percent... more »

• GOP rep wants asylum review in immigration bill

  April 25, 2013 10:42 AM

  WASHINGTON - The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says he want to overhaul the way the U.S. grants asylum to immigrants after the Boston Marathon bombing. Rep. Bob Goodlatte is a Virginia Republican. He says U.S. authorities should consider whether asylum applicants are, quote, "engaging in aggressive tactics" in... more »

• School board makes campus switch, no decision on school days

  April 22, 2013 9:36 PM

  CLINTON- Students at some schools in East Feliciana Parish will attend different schools next school year. Monday, the school board voted to swap locations for the high school and middle school. The high school campus will move to Clinton and the middle school will move to Jackson. A judge... more »

• Newtown parents back study for clues to violence

  April 15, 2013 9:14 AM

  HARTFORD, Conn. - The parents of a 6-year-old girl killed in the Newtown school shooting are seeking answers about what could lead a person to commit such violence. Jeremy Richman and Jennifer Hensel on Monday announced a scientific advisory board for the Avielle Foundation, which was established with the goal... more »

• Parents accused of kidnapping boys to stay in jail

  April 12, 2013 10:19 AM

  TAMPA, Fla. - The couple accused of kidnapping their boys and sailing with them to Cuba to elude authorities are staying in jail. On Friday, Joshua and Sharyn Hakken's public defender didn't contest a request by prosecutors in Tampa that they remain in jail without bond. The Hakkens didn't appear... more »

• Hakkens' La. foster parents talk exclusively to News 2 Play Video

  April 10, 2013 10:44 PM

  HAMMOND - The Louisiana foster parents of the two children allegedly kidnapped from Florida and taken to Cuba spoke exclusively to News 2 about the ordeal. Liz and Tom took little Chase and Cole Hakken into their home last summer, after the boy's parents were arrested at a hotel.... more »

• Parents questioning school security in West Baton Rouge Play Video

  February 21, 2013 6:24 PM

  PORT ALLEN - School security in West Baton Rouge remains an issue of concern for parents and the parish school board. At a meeting last night, a board member suggested the schools start using metal detectors and initiate lock down procedures to keep trespassers away and prevent students from... more »

• Man arrested in staged home invasion

  February 12, 2013 7:53 PM

  NATCHITOCHES, La. - Authorities say a 64-year-old Dallas man is accused of staging a home invasion at his parents' Natchitoches home to cover his theft of coins and cash from a safe at the house. Natchitoches Parish sheriff's deputies say Burton Paul Dupuy III was arrested Monday and booked with... more »

• Health stories for Feb. 6, 2013 Play Video

  February 6, 2013 6:18 PM

  UNDATED - Here are today's 2 Your Health stories for Feb. 6, 2013 - Baby boomers are living longer, but not better because they're not as healthy as their parents were. Those born between 1945 and 1964 are more likely to be obese, have high blood pressure and... more »

• Conn. group launches anti-violence initiative

  January 14, 2013 12:59 PM

  NEWTOWN, Conn. - Parents of Connecticut first-graders slain in last month's mass shooting have joined a new group in calling for a national dialogue to help prevent similar tragedies. Nicole Hockley's son Dylan was one of 20 first-graders and six adults killed a month ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School.... more »

• Police: Calif. teens drug parents to use internet

  January 3, 2013 12:38 PM

  ROCKLIN, Calif. - Police say two California teenagers used a prescription sleeping medication to spike the milkshakes of too-strict parents so they could log onto the Internet. The parents called police and the 15-year-old Rocklin girl and a 16-year-old friend were taken to Juvenile Hall. Rocklin is 20 miles northeast... more »

• Schools increase security after Conn. shooting

  December 17, 2012 2:01 PM

  UNDATED - Most of the nation fell back into the familiar routine of dropping off children at school, as teachers and parents wrestled with how best to quell children's fears after the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. School districts across the U.S. increased patrols and security... more »

• Britney Spears' self-styled manager set to testify

  October 23, 2012 10:31 AM

  LOS ANGELES - Britney Spears' former self-styled manager is set to take the stand in his lawsuit against the superstar's parents as he goes after a share of her millions in earnings. Sam Lutfi was expected to testify when court resumes today in his acrimonious defamation suit against her... more »

• Parents still looking for childcare options after fire Play Video

  October 22, 2012 5:37 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The parents of 50 kids are trying to find a childcare provider after a fire destroyed their daycare center. The Istrouma Early Head Start is a daycare for children ages one to three. Many of the children's parents are teenagers or young adults who work or... more »

• Parents look for childcare after Early Head Start fire

  October 21, 2012 7:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Dozens of families are trying to figure out where to take their kids on Monday. The Istrouma Early Head Start is closed until further notice after it went up in flames Saturday night. According to Baton Rouge Fire Department, the blaze started in a classroom.... more »

• Parents decide whether or not to vaccinate Play Video

  August 6, 2012 6:06 PM

  BATON ROUGE - With the beginning of the school year quickly approaching, some parents will have to decide whether or not they'll fully vaccinate their children. The Department of Health and Hospitals says it's the law, but parents have the right to opt out for religious or philosophical reasons.... more »

• Parents: Neighborhood watch death not God's plan

  July 19, 2012 7:44 AM

  MIRAMAR, Fla. - The parents of the unarmed teen who was shot and killed by a Florida neighborhood watch volunteer reject the shooter's claim that the shooting was a part of God's plan. In an new television interview, George Zimmerman said he felt the events of the night 17-year-old... more »

• Parents of band member suing FAMU over his death

  July 11, 2012 7:45 AM

  ORLANDO - The parents of a Florida A&M drum major who died after being hazed are suing the university. Robert Champion's parents say they're filing the lawsuit in Orlando today, more than six months after their son died after being hazed aboard a bus parked outside an Orlando hotel.... more »

• Parents charged in death of bruised, bitten child Play Video

  June 15, 2012 12:46 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Authorities announced the parents of an 8-year-old boy who died and was found with dozens of bruises and a bite mark will be booked on charges of first-degree murder today. The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's office released their findings from the autopsy of Xzayvion Riley,... more »

• Parents opposed to SEBR breakaway district band together

  May 15, 2012 10:27 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The voices against a breakaway school district in Baton Rouge are getting louder. People opposed say there's a lack of information about the move. Now they're trying to push-back against the breakaway before it's too late. The group One Community, One School District is calling on... more »

• Some parents opting to homeschool their children Play Video

  May 9, 2012 5:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Due to frustrations with t Louisiana's public school system, dozens of parents in Baton Rouge have decided to home school their children. But the parents we spoke to aren't home schooling their children on their own, but instead paying someone else to do it. Terri... more »

• Private school parents questioning state's plan to offer free ACT test Play Video

  April 19, 2012 10:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Some people are upset over a new initiative in Louisiana to use taxpayer dollars to pay for every high school junior to take a college entrance exam for free. The move, costing $2 million a year, will be paid for from the State Department of Education's budget,... more »

• Parents split on school closure for teachers

  March 13, 2012 10:06 PM

  BATON ROUGE- No school today has parents in East Baton Rouge Parish shrugging their shoulders for an alternative to their childrens' classrooms. Classes were canceled after so many teachers requested Wednesday off to protest Governor Bobby Jindal's education reform plan at the Capitol. A House committee takes up the... more »

• Parents pleased EBR board looking into security in schools Play Video

  March 1, 2012 10:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Parents across the district tonight are rejoicing that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board is creating a task force to review school safety. The board made the call at its committee meeting Wednesday night. That's two days after a loaded gun was found on a... more »

• Parents concerned about book's topic, language for 3rd graders Play Video

  February 27, 2012 10:37 PM

  WEST BATON ROUGE- Some parents are questioning school officials' decision to have third graders at Lukeville Upper Elementary in Brusly read a book about the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Their concern isn't only about the topic being taught to 8-year-olds, but about how it's being taught, with the n-word. ... more »

• Woman charged with extorting parents

  February 24, 2012 3:39 AM

  VIDALIA, La. - State police say a 25-year-old Vidalia woman tried to extort $350 from her parents after she called her mother and father and falsely claimed that she would be killed unless they wired the money to businesses. On Thursday, state police said they arrested Tabitha Fisher on charges... more »

• "Deadbeat Parents" special airs tonight Play Video

  February 2, 2012 1:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Deadbeat parents owe millions of dollars in unpaid child support and the state is cracking down on the worst offenders. News 2's Chris Nakamoto found one that owes upwards of $350,000. You won't want to miss why his family believes he doesn't need to pay. Watch... more »

• Conn. house fire kills children, parents of ad exec

  December 26, 2011 4:00 AM

  STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) - Police say the parents and three children of a well-known advertising executive were killed in a fire that tore through the family's waterfront Connecticut home on Christmas morning. Stamford Police say Madonna Badger and a male acquaintance managed to escape the blaze, but Badger's three daughters... more »

• Jindal meets with parents, teachers about education reform

  December 22, 2011 10:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Governor Bobby Jindal got an earful from those on the front lines of education Thursday, parents and teachers. He met with the groups as part of his stakeholder meetings to shape the legislative package he'll be revealing next month. Jindal wanted them to chime in on what... more »

• Jindal calling for parents' perspectives on getting, keeping effective teachers Play Video

  December 8, 2011 10:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The governor's on a crusade to get better teachers into classrooms, and he wants you to be involved. He hopes it will fix the education system in Louisiana. This week, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education decided teachers will be evaluated on student performance. One-third... more »

• Man arrested in death of parents

  November 16, 2011 4:33 PM

  SLIDELL - St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's investigators blame an argument about household chores for the bloody beating deaths of a Slidell couple. Sheriff Jack Strain said Wednesday that 25-year-old John Willis was arrested on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Lewis Willis, 62, and Helen Willis,... more »

• Students, parents rally against cyberbullying

  October 3, 2011 5:23 PM

  PLAQUEMINE, La.- Students and parents rallied against cyberbullying today at Iberville Parish Math, Science and Arts Academy West. More than 800 people at the rally wore shirts with the word "delete." It's a message that stands for delete the digital drama. Skylar McCormick, a student at MSA West,... more »

• Deadbeat parents paying up with casino winnings

  September 15, 2011 4:36 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Just one week into a pilot program to collect unpaid child support, some families are getting the money they're owed. Louisiana Child and Family Services started a program in conjunction with casinos. Due to tax purposes gamblers that win over $1,200 are subject to forfeiting... more »

• State launches web service to find deadbeat parents

  August 29, 2011 5:18 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Department of Children and Family Services launched a new website today to help find parents who owe child support. The site gives access to the 53,000 delinquet parents by first or last name, city, amount owed and parish where their court-ordered support was established. ... more »

• Truancy patrols target tardy kids in EBR

  August 18, 2011 6:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Just seven days into the school year, authorities in East Baton Rouge Parish have their hands full keeping kids off the streets and in the classroom. Last year the number of students skipping school was down 5 percent compared to the 2009 school year, and sheriff's... more »

• Parents, doctors scrambling to get kids ready for school

  July 22, 2011 2:30 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Doctors and health officials are encouraging parents to schedule appointments to get their children's medical needs taken care of, and avoid the usual back-to-school rush. Pediatricians say the two weeks before school starts are always booked full with children getting vaccinations, physicals or just routine checkups... more »

• Capitol High parents, students at ease over transition

  July 20, 2011 10:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A charter school switch, that got a bunch of parents riled up, has been settled. Capitol High School is being handed back to the state. The group "100 Black Men" had been in charge. It took over from the East Baton Rouge School System because of poor... more »

• EBR transportation plan presented to parents

  July 18, 2011 10:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Threats of breaking off and creating a new school district in Baton Rouge forced change to the system's busing plan. Monday night, the district revealed a transportation plan for gifted and talented students that was a compromise between the district and parents. Those parents started complaining... more »

• Police, DA prosecute parents of juvenile criminals

  June 16, 2011 7:11 PM

  BATONR ROUGE - Now that kids are out of school, law enforcement agencies wants to make sure they stay out of trouble. If not, their parents could end up in trouble with them. Rickey Jones, 18, says he's the leader of a Baton Rouge gang called the "City Boyz".... more »

• Parents upset about cuts to EBR bus routes

  May 19, 2011 10:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE- There's a truce over budgets and bus routes for some parents in South Baton Rouge, but they still want more. The school district faces a $39 million budget deficit. Last month, the school board voted to save $850,000 by cutting dozens of direct bus routes for gifted... more »

• Parents of Gulf rig worker killed settles legal claims

  April 9, 2011 11:17 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The parents of a rig worker killed in the Deepwater Horizon explosion nearly a year ago settled their legal claims against companies involved in the Gulf of Mexico. A federal court filing in New Orleans says the parents of M-I Swaco mud engineer Blair Manuel settled with... more »

• Schools seek parents of truant kids

  January 30, 2011 3:10 PM

  MONROE- Parents of eight Monroe City School students who have been habitually truant have been ordered to appear in court and could face jail time. Safe Schools Healthy Students director Phedra Brantley tells The News Star that the system is targeting 20 families whose students have been truant for... more »

• What's in a Name?

  November 10, 2010 7:33 PM

  A judge in France says the car company Renault can name its new car Zoe even though the parents of two girls named Zoe Renault sued to stop it. The lawyer for the parents says, "First names are for humans", and says they shouldn't be co-opted by multinational companies to... more »

• Central community reacts to state audit of school system

  October 11, 2010 10:19 PM

  Outrage and understanding emerged from a standing room only crowd in Central Monday night. The reactions came after the school board addressed an audit that outlined bid law violations, money and record mismanagement. News 2's Ashley Rodrigue found out more on why some said they understand the school system... more »

• Mom Wins Right for Burial Next to Son

  September 30, 2010 7:44 PM

  A mom in Massachusetts who lost her only son in Iraq won the right for parents like her to be buried alongside their children in national veterans cemeteries. Denise Anderson fought for two-years to get Congress to change the rule and approve the Corey Shea Act, named for her 21-year-old... more »

• Teen could be tried as adult in parents' slaying

  September 12, 2010 1:26 PM

  The Ouachita Parish district attorney says a grand jury on Monday will consider the case of a teenager charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the slaying of his parents. The 15-year-old boy was arrested in class Friday at West Ouachita High School. District Attorney Jerry Jones tells the... more »

• HS student questioned in parents' deaths

  September 10, 2010 3:53 PM

  Update : A Ouachita Parish sheriff's detective said two people were shot to death, and their son is being questioned. Deputy Meghan Russell wouldn't give the victims' names but said Friday both were killed by a shotgun. Schools superintendent Bob Webber said the 16-year-old student was taken into custody without... more »

• Lawsuit filed in fatal roller coaster accident

  July 29, 2010 6:00 AM

  The parents of a Lafayette woman who fell to her death from a roller coaster are suing Dixie Landing amusement park in Baton Rouge. George and Karen Zeno claim Dixie Landing failed to properly inspect and maintain the Xtreme roller coaster and failed to secure the locking mechanism necessary to... more »

• Jindal signs child support bill

  June 25, 2010 5:39 AM

  Gambling winnings will soon be subject to seizure from parents who haven't paid their child support. Gov. Bobby Jindal signed the measure by Sen. Nick Gautreaux into law Thursday that allows for the taking of the gambling wins for back-owed child support. It will let the state intercept a person's... more »

• Deadbeat parent roundup

  June 23, 2010 9:08 AM

  Last night law enforcement rounded up parents who have missed court appearances and owe substantial amounts in past-due child support. Clyde Maten along with five other men were taken to parish prison for not paying child support. Officials say Maten alone owes $90,673.72 in child support. Officials arrested 12 people... more »

• Swim lessons for toddlers get doctors' approval

  May 24, 2010 5:30 AM

  The American Academy of Pediatrics is relaxing its stance against swimming lessons for children younger than 4. A few small studies now suggest toddlers may be less likely to drown if they've had swim lessons. The group says it's fine to enroll children as young as 1 in classes, but... more »

• American held in Iran says loneliness hardest part

  May 20, 2010 9:14 AM

  One of three Americans jailed in Iran says the loneliness of captivity is the hardest part in the first public comments from the trio since their arrest in July. Sarah Shourd told reporters today that their treatment has been "decent," but "it's really difficult being alone." She said Shane Bauer... more »

• Budget cuts threaten anti-truancy program

  April 20, 2010 7:42 AM

  District Attorney Hillar Moore says state budget cuts are threatening an anti-truancy program in Baton Rouge. Moore says the yearlong effort between his office and the East Baton Rouge Parish school system appears to be working. The campaign includes automated phone calls with Moore's voice to families with children not... more »

• Parents choosing schools in New Orleans

  April 9, 2010 6:46 AM

  Parents and guardians in New Orleans are making decisions on which schools in the city's overhauled education system they want their children to attend next fall. The state's Recovery School District, which took over most New Orleans public schools after Hurricane Katrina, oversees 70 schools. The RSD runs 33 directly,... more »

• New education tax break available to parents

  February 3, 2010 5:18 AM

  The state revenue department is hosting question-and-answer sessions next week about a new tax break available to parents of school children. Parents can deduct the costs of uniforms, textbooks, supplies required by the school, home-schooling supplies and private school tuition from their income taxes. The deductions are equal to 50... more »

• 2 Your Health for Nov. 11

  November 11, 2009 5:44 PM

  The dangers of letting your baby sleep in your bed, a controversial chemical linked to sexual problems, and how statins may help prevent gallstones are all discussed in this 2 Your Health report. more »

• Parents can't get swine flu vaccine

  November 5, 2009 10:32 PM

  Even though seven-year-old Aubrey Picou is terminally ill, her parents have not been able to get the swine flu vaccine. Joshua and Emily Picou were denied the shot because they're over the cut-off age for vaccinations. That's despite the fact that their seven-year-old suffers from Spinal muscular atrophy type... more »

• North Iberville lawsuit back in court

  October 20, 2009 6:15 AM

  The North Iberville High School lawsuit continues in court today starting at 8:30 a.m. at the courthouse in Plaquemine. Parents claim the school board violated state open-meetings laws when it decided to close North Iberville High School. The last time both parties were in court, board members testified about conversations... more »

• State Police focus on child safety seats

  September 30, 2009 12:56 PM

  Parents lined up to have their child's safety seat checked for proper installation today. It's part of Child Passenger Safety Month. Some parents told News 2, they were shocked to learn there were problems in the way they had installed their child's car seat. Trooper Russell Graham with Louisiana... more »

• State Police focus on child safety seats

  September 30, 2009 10:16 AM

  Parents can have their child's safety seat checked for proper installation today. State Police will be conducting free inspections of car seats until 3:30 p.m. at Our Lady of the Lake Clinic on Goodwood Boulevard in Baton Rouge. Trooper Russell Graham said 96 percent of child safety seats... more »