WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Civil service panel rejects LSU hospital layoffs

  June 5, 2013 1:44 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The state Civil Service Commission has refused to approve layoff plans tied to Gov. Bobby Jindal's deals to privatize four LSU hospitals. The commission voted 4-3 Wednesday to reject the layoffs of about 3,000 state employees at the hospitals in New Orleans, Lafayette, Houma and Lake Charles.... more »

• Engineers talk-up plans for traffic connector in BR

  June 4, 2013 10:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Traffic engineers touted a plan to ease congestion around the Mall of Louisiana Tuesday. The Picardy-Perkins Connector is a part of the on-going Green Light Plan across the city. The $25 million project calls for a four-laned highway with a raised median and sidewalks. According to... more »

• Future of BR to be discussed Tuesday

  April 22, 2013 9:10 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The group tasked with implementing the future plan of the city will meet for the first time this year on Tuesday. The group, known as FUTUREBR, is set to talk about the status of the project at 10 a.m. at City Hall. FUTUREBR is the land-use... more »

• Resolution would support Livingston technical college

  April 8, 2013 9:34 PM

  LIVINGSTON- More support for a technical college here could come Tuesday, when lawmakers are scheduled to discuss a resolution backing a study on the matter. Many people, including parish leaders and business groups, want a facility in the parish. They said the growth is fueling the demand. The... more »

• Lawmaker supports technical college plans

  April 1, 2013 9:43 PM

  LIVINGSTON- A state lawmaker is backing plans for a technical college in one of the state's fastest growing parishes. Sen. Dale Erdey proposes establishing a newly formed campus on the current grounds of the Literacy and Technology Center on Florida Blvd. in Walker. The school system owns the... more »

• BRPD Chief to arm officers with rifles, expand BRAVE to 70802 Play Video

  January 16, 2013 2:13 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Baton Rouge Police Chief Dewayne White announced progressive plans that will move his department forward this year. In a one-on-one interview, White said the Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination Project will expand to the 70802 zip code this year. Officers will also be outfitted with military surplus... more »

• Wednesday unveiling set for new downtown apartments

  November 26, 2012 10:02 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Wednesday the ribbon will be cut on a new living space in the city's downtown area. The development, 438 Main Street, has been in the works for about two years. It has 22 units with one and two bedrooms. It's a mixed income property. The... more »

• Pelosi to announce plans on Wednesday

  November 13, 2012 2:23 PM

  WASHINGTON- Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says she'll announce Wednesday whether she'll continue in her current position or step down after her party failed to gain the 25 seats it needed to win the House majority. When a few undecided races are called, Democrats will gain less than half of that... more »

• Funding gap in plans to build new Livingston Parish courthouse Play Video

  October 11, 2012 5:32 PM

  LIVINGSTON - People working on plans for a new Livingston Parish courthouse are considering changes to meet a $2 million funding gap. Bids for the project came in earlier this month. Architects involved in the plans say great steps were taken to make the project affordable, and options were... more »

• Isaac stalling elected officials' GOP travel plans

  August 27, 2012 10:25 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's Republican elected officials are scrapping or delaying Florida travel plans for the GOP's national convention. Some who had arrived in Tampa quickly turned around and headed home to wait for Tropical Storm Isaac. Gov. Bobby Jindal hasn't officially canceled his plans to speak at the convention,... more »

• After controversy, planned Wal-Mart is approved

  August 14, 2012 12:32 PM

  PONCHATOULA- This city of a few thousand is getting a Super Wal-Mart. The City Council approved elements needed for the project to move forward. But, it doesn't come without controversy. Some people who live near the planned store on Hwy. 51 near the intersection with Hwy. 22 have... more »

• Shell Oil scales back Arctic drilling plan

  July 31, 2012 1:57 PM

  ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Shell Oil Co. says it has downsized its plan for off-shore drilling in the Arctic this year. Shell now hopes to complete two wells in 2012 off Alaska's northern coastline. The company had planned on drilling up to five wells. Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said Tuesday a... more »

• Developer has plans for Baton Rouge site

  June 10, 2012 10:59 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A developer hopes to turn a 10-acre site into a recreation-centered town home complex, with volleyball courts, a sports cafe and retail shops. Chris Shaheen said his company, Shaheen Real Estate Development, has applied for a zoning change for the property. The development, called The Oasis, would... more »

• House plans to debate $25B budget for next year

  May 10, 2012 7:23 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana House expects to spend much of the day Thursday debating next year's $25 billion budget. The spending plans would pay for agency operating expenses and programs in the new fiscal year that begins July 1. At issue among conservative lawmakers is how much one-time money... more »

• Senator plans post office visits

  May 4, 2012 7:30 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- U.S. Sen. Mary L. Landrieu's office says the senator planned visits to post offices in Moss Bluff and Lafayette. Friday's visits were set after Landrieu wrote to the Postmaster General, urging the U.S. Postal Service to extend the current moratorium on post office and mail processing facility closures.... more »

• Inauguration plans Begin

  March 28, 2012 7:48 PM

  Leaders in Congress have already started planning the Presidential Inauguration even though the election is still seven months off. What they hope to avoid is a mishap from 2009 when thousands of ticket holders were trapped in a tunnel underneath the National Mall and were shut out of Barack Obama's... more »

• Livingston plans April hearings on new districts

  March 23, 2012 6:54 AM

  LIVINGSTON - Attorney C. Tom Jones told the Livingston Parish School Board that he hopes to be ready in April to hold public hearings on board reapportionment. Jones said Thursday the hearings must be held before the new districts can be submitted to the U.S. Justice Department for final approval.... more »

• Panel: US should rethink nuke emergency plans

  March 8, 2012 7:17 AM

  WASHINGTON - An expert panel is recommending that the U.S. customize emergency plans for each of the nation's 65 nuclear power plants, a suggestion that in some cases could expand the standard 10-mile evacuation zone in place for more than 30 years. The recommendation from a committee assembled by the... more »

• Shaw inks deal to sevice power plants in Arizona, New Mexico

  February 27, 2012 3:09 PM

  Baton Rouge- The Shaw Group Incorporated has announced it has signed a new contract with Arizona Public Service Co. to provide maintenance and construction services to eight fossil power plants in Arizona and New Mexico. Shaw already holds a contract with APS to provide maintenance, modifications, construction and radiological... more »

• Report details plans for new Ga. to Miss. highway

  February 14, 2012 6:39 AM

  MACON, Ga. - A federal report details plans for a possible new interstate highway that would move traffic from Augusta through central Georgia and Alabama to Natchez, Miss. In Georgia, one proposal calls for the interstate cutting through an area just south of Macon. No funding for the federal route... more »

• LSU plans to enhance gateway entrances

  February 13, 2012 6:46 AM

  BATON ROUGE - LSU officials are planning to install a roundabout at the campus entrance on Dalyrmple Drive and several other improvements are planned at the university's other major entrances. Jason Soileau, LSU assistant director of campus planning, says the goal is to create more clear distinctions of campus entrances... more »

• Peyton Manning says he has no plans to retire

  January 31, 2012 2:30 PM

  INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning says he has no plans to retire and that his recovery from neck surgery is on schedule. Manning told a group of reporters that he threw on Tuesday morning and the session went well. As for talk about his retirement, Manning says it's premature. It's been... more »

• Lafayette housing project plans move forward

  January 31, 2012 7:28 AM

  LAFAYETTE - The Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority has authorized actions needed to begin construction of its newest affordable housing development planned for downtown Lafayette. Earlier this month, the public trust group approved its acquisition of the development and other downtown property from the project's original sponsor, the nonprofit organization... more »

• Natural gas fueling plans may spur vehicle growth

  December 27, 2011 1:41 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Consumers, manufacturers and fuel suppliers so far haven't shown much interest in natural gas-powered cars, even though the United States has record supplies of the fuel. But there are signs of change. Clean Energy Corp. is expanding natural gas refueling to 150 U.S. truck stops - though... more »

• Firms seek customers for plans in Medicaid

  December 19, 2011 2:32 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - Private health plans are offering a wide array of incentives to get Medicaid recipients to enroll with them. Incentives include free Weight Watchers meetings and Boys and Girls Club memberships, prepaid debit cards, entertainment vouchers and more. Five different companies are vying for the business of... more »

• Three parishes not cleared yet by DOJ for elections

  August 31, 2011 12:52 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Department of Justice has not cleared redistricting plans for three Louisiana parishes, which will keep them from holding police jury elections Oct. 22. A lawsuit also seeks to block a fourth parish from holding their elections. Sailor Jackson with the La. Secretary of State's Office... more »

• Former La. governor released from home confinement

  July 6, 2011 11:32 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards was released from home confinement earlier today. In a voice-mail message Edwards left for his biographer Leo Honeycutt, Edwards said, "I'm calling to tell you everything has been cleared. My halfway tour is over with." Edwards signed the paperwork for his... more »

• Report given on new hospital's projected costs

  June 2, 2011 4:25 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Consultants are telling the board overseeing development of a medical complex in New Orleans that their projections show the facility will need 330 to 400 beds by 2020 - shy of the 424 beds currently planned for the $1.2 billion facility. The report by Kaufmann Hall... more »

• Port plans new building

  May 1, 2011 9:53 AM

  LAKE CHARLES- The Port of Lake Charles will build a new administrative headquarters so that federal law enforcement agencies can take over the current building. Port Director Bill Rase says the move to accommodate U.S. Customs and the Border Patrol at the port will take several years. He says... more »

• Obama: No plans to step into NFL labor dispute

  March 3, 2011 2:29 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has a clear message for pro football players and team owners: I don't intend to get involved in your labor dispute and you should be able to work things out so each side has enough money. As the NFL and the players' union held... more »

• Insurance license fees rejected

  January 28, 2011 4:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Lawmakers have rejected plans for the Louisiana Department of Insurance to allow credit card payments for licenses, because they objected to the sliding scale of fees tacked onto card payments. The department had proposed the use of credit and debit cards for insurance agents, claims adjusters and... more »

• LDWF gets $2.56M from BP for lost license fees

  December 21, 2010 2:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE – State wildlife officials have finalized plans for BP to pay $2.56 million to cover the money lost from the decline in fishing licenses and oyster tags after the Gulf oil spill. The agreement was finalized Monday after discussions between BP officials, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and... more »

• Construction on downtown BR condos to start next year

  October 12, 2010 6:33 PM

  Right now, 438 Main Street is just a shell of a building, but one woman said she has the plans to change that. The building could attract more people to live in downtown Baton Rouge. It’s the latest affordable housing in the downtown area. News 2’s Michael Shingleton... more »

• Pinnacle expands plans for Baton Rouge casino

  September 27, 2010 5:34 PM

  The final plans for a casino in Baton Rouge just got a lot bigger. Pinnacle Entertainment released new plans today for their casino and hotel that are nearly twice as large as the initial proposal. The company increased its budget from $250 million to $357 million, doubled the number of... more »

• Group to study Orleans Parish prison size

  September 24, 2010 5:58 AM

  New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has signed an executive order establishing a committee that will advise him on possible plans for a new prison complex in the city. The new "Criminal Justice Working Group" is to examine information on the size and other aspects for a possible new complex. The... more »

• Feds to spend $30M on Port Fourchon beach project

  August 17, 2010 5:24 AM

  The federal government plans to spend $30 million to help restore a barrier headland that helps protect Port Fourchon. The money will be spent on the Cheniere Caminada headland as part of ongoing coastal restoration work under the Coastal Wetland Planning, Protection and Restoration Act. The money comes out the... more »

• Corps experiments with steeper sloped levee

  August 13, 2010 5:18 AM

  A new technique could help save residents' land in Plaquemines Parish in the Army Corps of Engineers plans to raise a part of the Mississippi River levee. The corps says it will use stabilized soil to build a steeper slope on 1,000 feet of river levee near Belle Chasse and... more »

• Council approves traffic cameras for Port Allen

  August 12, 2010 7:35 AM

  The Port Allen City Council is moving ahead with plans to install traffic cameras along La. Highway 1 to discourage drivers from running red lights and speeding. Council members unanimously approved the ordinance permitting the city to install the cameras, but they are still working on finalizing a contract... more »

• Local governments: We want more say in oil cleanup

  July 29, 2010 5:13 AM

  Seven parish presidents and other local officials say the Coast Guard and BP are ignoring local and state authorities - and they want that to change. A statement by the leaders says state and local governments should be part of all decisions, planning and other work as cleanup and restoration... more »

• Army Corps to embed with La. coastal agency

  July 28, 2010 4:40 AM

  Army Corps of Engineers officials will be working closely with state officials to draw up a plan to restore coastal Louisiana. The corps plans to embed employees with Louisiana's Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration. In the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, President Barack Obama has pledged... more »

• About 100 school employees to be reassigned

  June 3, 2010 6:05 AM

  The Rapides Parish School District plans to cut about $4 million from the budget, and will reassign about 100 employees. The plan calls for using consolidation and attrition to eliminate positions, but it does not require any layoffs of existing employees. The plan, designed by Superintendent Gary Jones, is in... more »

• Company changes plans for St. Tammany plant

  May 7, 2010 8:05 AM

  A company that wants to build a natural sewage-treatment plant in Hickory in St. Tammany Parish has abandoned its plans. St. Tammany's Zoning Commission denied a request last month from Bioregen Systems LLC for a zoning change to accommodate the plant. The company, Bioregen, will look for another site in... more »

• Casino company might expand size of BR project

  April 28, 2010 5:44 AM

  The head of Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. says the casino company might expand its plans for a new gambling riverboat and hotel complex in Baton Rouge. CEO Anthony Sanfilippo says Pinnacle is confident it can establish a "best-in-market" gambling complex in Baton Rouge. Pinnacle plans to compete with two existing casino... more »

• Scotlandville residents cry out for change

  October 26, 2009 4:58 PM

  Southern University officials are working with residents in the Scotlandville area of Baton Rouge to develop a plan that will shape its future. Residents say rising crime has crumbled the once vibrant community. Businesses have shut down, and residents claim Scotlandville has been left out of the city's economic... more »

• EBR Parish wwine flu plans

  September 1, 2009 8:59 AM

  East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President "Kip" Holden will announce the preparedness plans and report on the swine flu. There will be information on how to prevent the H1N1 infection, what steps to take if infected, and city-parish policies if they become necessary. more »