Tagged News

• Schools set reopening dates following Hurricane Ida Play Video

  September 1, 2021 1:50 PM

  School systems reopening: Ascension Parish (all campuses open starting Sept. 13) Assumption Parish (return Sept. 10) Baton Rouge Diocese (most schools return Sept. 7, see the full list here ) Central Community School System (return Sept. 7) City of Baker School System (return Sept. 7)... more »

• Health officials cautiously optimistic about declining COVID statistics

  May 10, 2021 8:56 AM

  While statistics reveal that across the U.S., less people are getting vaccinated than in previous weeks, health officials are cautiously optimistic about what COVID-related numbers will look like in the upcoming months, CNN reports. During a Sunday, May 9 interview, Dr. Jonathan Reiner of George Washington University told CNN... more »

• Free COVID-19 vaccinations offered at Mall of Louisiana

  May 6, 2021 9:35 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Local officials say free COVID-19 vaccines are available to capital area residents ages 16 and older, at the Mall of Louisiana. The vaccinations, offered on the mall's ground level Food Court entrance, near the Williams-Sonoma store, are available to the public Thursday, May 6 from 11... more »

• FDA likely to authorize Pfizer's COVID vaccine for 12-to-15-year-olds by early next week Play Video

  May 4, 2021 6:57 AM

  Officials appear to be on the verge of authorizing the administration of Pfizer/BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine to children and teens ages 12 to 15, and approval may be issued by early next week, according to CNN . The news outlet says a federal government employee confirmed that the US Food... more »

• EBR Metro Council approves continuance of alcohol delivery, curbside pickup

  April 28, 2021 7:55 AM

  EAST BATON ROUGE - A pandemic-era city-parish ordinance that allowed East Baton Rouge's bars and restaurants to sell alcohol by means curbside and home delivery will remain in effect indefinitely. The Metro Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve this modernized to-go sale of alcohol, allowing local eateries and bars... more »

• Blue Bayou Water Park announces reopening date

  April 2, 2021 8:16 AM

  BATON ROUGE - One of the capital region's most popular amusement parks announced plans to reopen to the public as soon as next month. Blue Bayou Water Park says it intends to open its doors to guests on Saturday, May 22. The water park's representatives added that in... more »

• As La. moves into Phase 3 of reopening, tourism industry anticipates uptick in visitors Play Video

  March 4, 2021 9:02 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Following a significant improvement in statistics related to Louisiana's COVID-19 hospitalizations and case counts, Governor John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday (March 2) that the state will move forward to Phase 3, which will bring most COVID restrictions back to where they were last September. With this... more »

• The Dufrocq School returns to in-person classes Monday

  February 1, 2021 6:03 AM

  BATON ROUGE - As capital area schools continue to navigate the pandemic, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System continues to announce a series of related closures and reopenings. The Dufrocq School, which temporarily shuttered in-person closes and transitioned to virtual learning on Jan. 20, is returning to in-person... more »

• Judge denies request to enforce petition ending Louisiana's coronavirus restrictions Play Video

  November 12, 2020 8:30 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge has denied a request from Louisiana Republicans to force Governor John Bel Edwards to temporarily drop the state's coronavirus restrictions. The mandamus from Attorney General Jeff Landry would have ordered that the governor abide by the petition signed by lawmakers last month which called... more »

• New reopening guidelines likely to keep Disneyland closed until summer of 2021

  October 21, 2020 8:29 AM

  ANAHEIM, California - The state of California may have cleared theme parks to reopen after more than seven months of coronavirus closures, but the happiest place on earth is not among the parks that will likely be allowed to reopen. Shortly after the state's decision was revealed, the theme... more »

• EBR students return to full-time, in-person classes Play Video

  October 19, 2020 6:25 AM

  BATON ROUGE - On Monday morning, the last batch of East Baton Rouge Parish students who've grown used to spending school days in front of a laptop will return to in-person classes five days a week. School officials are prepared for the return of 6-12 graders to campuses across... more »

• New Orleans to move into 'Phase 3.1' of reopening Saturday

  October 1, 2020 12:43 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Mayor Latoya Cantrell announced Thursday that New Orleans will move into the next phase of its reopening process at 6 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. This will be the start of a Phase 3 reopening that's been divided into a three-part process: 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. ... more »

• Exiting top La. COVID doc in tell-all WBRZ interview: Football stadiums shouldn't have fans Play Video

  October 1, 2020 10:48 AM

  Watch WBRZ News 2 Thursday for the tell-all interview with Dr. Alex Billioux BATON ROUGE – A new month brings big changes for high-profile Dr. Alex Billioux who, since the onset of the COVID crisis, has been the state’s very visual and top doctor spearheading the state health department’s... more »

• State officials detail State Library's phase 3 reopening plan

  September 21, 2020 12:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE - As Louisiana continues to navigate Phase 3 of the state's reopening process, various organizations within the state are doing so on an individual level, and on Monday, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser announced the State Library of Louisiana is now beginning the third phase of its reopening plan.... more »

• BREC enters Phase 3 of reopening plans, its fitness centers will reopen Tuesday

  September 21, 2020 10:34 AM

  BATON ROUGE - As Louisiana continues to move through Phase 3 of its reopening process, the office of Parks and Recreation in East Baton Rouge Parish (BREC) initiated the start of its Phase 3 reopening plan on Monday, September 21. According to BREC's website, the organization is reopening certain... more »

• St. James Parish meets criteria to reopen bars under Phase 3 guidelines

  September 18, 2020 11:02 AM

  UPDATE: The state said an error led to the ATC giving St. James Parish clearance to reopen bars. They will not be allowed to open Friday. Full story here: https://www.wbrz.com/news/despite-go-ahead-from-atc-friday-ldh-says-st-james-parish-cannot-reopen-bars-yet ***** ST. JAMES PARISH - Officials with St. James Parish announced Friday that the Parish has met... more »

• Livingston Parish School Board announces plans for transition into Phase 3 of reopening

  September 11, 2020 9:00 AM

  LIVINGSTON PARISH - Livingston Parish Public Schools Superintendent Joe Murphy announced Friday (Sept. 11) that the district will implement a four-day, phased approach to move to its Phase 3 School Attendance Plan, which allows for all students in grades Pre-K to 12 to receive face-to-face instruction five days per week... more »

• School districts reviewing phased re-opening plans amid state entrance into phase 3

  September 10, 2020 12:30 PM

  Ascension Parish The Ascension Parish School System said Thursday, it will update its plan on transitioning more students to daily in-person learning soon after the governor revealed the state will move into phase 3 of its reopening plan. The school system said while it has already outlined each... more »

• Governor: Phase 2 will be extended another 2 weeks Play Video

  August 25, 2020 2:46 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The governor will officially extend Louisiana's current "phase 2" order for another 14 days once it expires Friday. During a news briefing discussing Hurricane Laura Wednesday, Governor John Bel Edwards said he would extend the current order for two weeks. Phase 2 sets business capacity at... more »

• St. Helena Parish Schools reveals planned reopening process for Fall

  July 8, 2020 10:00 AM

  ST. HELENA PARISH - Public schools across Louisiana are preparing tentative fall schedules designed to safely and gradually reintroduce students into socially distanced classroom settings, and St. Helena Parish has designed one such strategy for its reopening. The three-phased process begins with students utilizing eLearning tools in home-based virtual... more »

• Livingston Parish schools tells parents: Follow Phase 2 plans

  July 7, 2020 2:18 PM

  LIVINGSTON – Livingston Parish Schools unveiled detailed plans for reopening schools during the 2020-2021 school year. These plans include multiple phases and options pending which phase the state finds itself in by the time the school year begins. Officials said Livingston Parish Public Schools still plans to begin school... more »

• EBR schools will let students choose between all-virtual, hybrid learning models when classes return in August Play Video

  July 5, 2020 10:33 PM

  EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH - The East Baton Rouge School System will allow its student to either take classes entirely from home or to attend class in-person twice a week during the upcoming school year. The blueprint shared by the school system Thursday says students will be allowed to... more »

• Elsie's Plate & Pie temporarily closes after employee tests positive for COVID-19

  June 30, 2020 11:32 AM

  A popular restaurant in Baton Rouge's Mid-City district announced it would be temporarily closing after one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. Elsie's Plate & Pie took to Facebook Tuesday morning to issue the announcement, saying the eatery will be closed for three days to allow employees to... more »

• State Supreme Court gives go-ahead for jury trials to begin Play Video

  June 30, 2020 8:22 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Courthouses across the state have been closed for months due to the COVID-19 health crisis, but with Louisiana's Supreme Court guidance allowing for all jury trials to resume Tuesday, June 30 officials who oversee the 19th Judicial District court in downtown Baton Rouge are preparing the facility... more »

• LSU expected to enter Phase 3 of reopening, June 29

  June 18, 2020 8:12 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana State University is scheduled to enter Phase 3 of its gradual reopening process, June 29. The university's interim President, Tom Galligan, approved the closure of campus from March 23 until May 15 due to the spread of novel coronavirus. With an abundance of caution,... more »

• Audubon Zoo celebrates reopening, new addition of rare ocelot kitten

  June 10, 2020 7:24 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - As the Audubon Zoo reopens its doors to the public, zoo workers are also welcoming a brand new male ocelot kitten into the fold. The rare animal, who was born on May 6 to parents "Milagre" and "Joaquin,” will have to wait a couple of months... more »

• The Jambalaya Park Pool in Gonzales reopens, Tuesday

  June 9, 2020 6:41 AM

  GONZALES - After months of closure due to the global health crisis, The Jambalaya Park Pool in Gonzales will reopen Tuesday, June 9, with updated Phase 2 Guidelines for "Controlled Recreational Swimming." The new guidelines are as follows: -Max number of patrons inside the facility at any time... more »

• Louisiana closing in on 200k test goal for May; tracking 'reasonably well' towards phase two Play Video

  May 27, 2020 9:58 PM

  BATON ROUGE - With four days left in May, Louisiana is close to meeting its goal of testing 200,000 people for COVID-19 this month. As of Wednesday, 179,369 tests had been completed within the month, leaving 20,631 left to be performed. "That's a little over 5,100 tests per... more »

• SeaWorld announces June 11 reopening date

  May 27, 2020 11:09 AM

  ORLANDO, Florida - During a Wednesday morning meeting, SeaWorld executives announced the company's plan to reopen on June 11. According to the Orlando Sentinel , SeaWorld's anticipated June 11 reopening will include all of its three Orlando parks, including Discovery Cove and Aquatica. Interim CEO Marc Swanson presented... more »

• Baton Rouge Zoo opens in 'Phase One' of state-wide reopening plan, implementing new safety measures Play Video

  May 21, 2020 10:25 AM

  BATON ROUGE - BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo is open to the public after several weeks of closure due to COVID-19, but visitors can expect a few changes. With additional safety restrictions to keep visitors and staff members as safe and healthy as possible, the zoo was able to... more »

• Baton Rouge City Court set to open on Monday

  May 14, 2020 1:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge City Court will be open to the public on May 18, 2020. The court will open its doors at 8 a.m. allowing visitors to pay fines & fees, file civil pleadings, complete drug screens, pay and handle outstanding bench warrants, obtain extensions, and... more »

• 'Phase 1' enforcement at salons coming from Fire Marshal, Department of Health Play Video

  May 12, 2020 6:52 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Salon owners and employees are cleaning and organizing ahead of Friday as many businesses are planning their reopening to the public. "The main things I think are different than our usual rules are the masks and the capacity of limitations," Louisiana Cosmetology Board Chairman Edwin Neill... more »

• Gov. Edwards: Still too early to determine if state will move to 'phase one' May 16 Play Video

  May 6, 2020 9:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana moves closer to May 16 and the possibility of moving to phase one of The White House's reopening guidelines. Across the state, signs are beginning to appear that show there is a good chance of that happening. "Our numbers statewide are moving in a pretty... more »

• Salon owner fears reopening without proper PPE Play Video

  April 27, 2020 6:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Businesses won't be reopening until the governor feels Louisiana meets the criteria to move onto phase 1, and that could be after May 15. If that's the case, a salon owner in Baton Rouge says she's requesting information about where to get the proper protection to protect... more »

• First Monday morning commute over the Sunshine Bridge Play Video

  December 3, 2018 9:13 AM

  ASCENSION PARISH - The Monday morning drive over the Sunshine Bridge was without incident for the most part as two lanes of travel are open. The partial reopening comes ahead of the mid-December deadline DOTD initially announced in the weeks following the crash that caused the bridge to shutdown.... more »

• Flooded Denham Springs credit union holds grand reopening

  December 4, 2017 8:30 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS- Previously-flooded Neighbors Federal Credit Union had its grand reopening Wednesday, its first time opening its doors since last year's historic flood. The "Branch of the Future" event began Wednesday morning and ended with a ribbon-cutting ceremony around 9:30 a.m. Neighbors showcased a "Back to the Future"... more »

• Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank reopens offices since August flood Play Video

  July 28, 2017 12:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE – The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank held a ribbon cutting for the reopening of their offices since the August flood. The reopening took place on Friday morning at the food bank located on S. Choctaw. Mike Manning, president of the food... more »

• Juban Crossing stores reopen in time for Black Friday Play Video

  November 23, 2016 4:46 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - Three months after the historic August flooding, stores in the Juban Crossing shopping center are opening for the second time. "The irony in that is amazing," Belk store manager Joshua Ballay said. "We actually just opened this store 26 months ago, almost to the exact day."... more »

• Residents enjoy Labor Day weekend after False River reopens Play Video

  September 4, 2016 7:45 PM

  POINTE COUPEE PARISH – False River had been closed for weeks due to the high water levels and flood debris, but now that officials reopened the River residents can continue on with their Labor Day traditions. The closure of the river came as terrible news to residents wanting to... more »

• Dearman's unveils plans to return to Bocage Shopping Center

  June 7, 2016 2:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Dearman’s and Bocage Shopping Center have announced that one of the Capital City’s staple eateries will return to its original home by as soon as September. Dearman’s Soda Shop has served up burgers and shakes to the Baton Rouge community for more than 58 years. A... more »

• Reopening of Istrouma High School could be delayed

  January 25, 2016 7:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE - There could be a delay in the reopening of Istrouma High School after the school board encountered a snag trying to regain control of the school from the state and the Recovery School District. School board members are hoping to open the north Baton Rouge school in... more »

• Renovated USS Kidd ready for reopening, ribbon cutting

  December 29, 2015 5:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE - After three weeks of extensive renovations, the USS Kidd Veterans Museum is set to reopen to the public again in the first days of 2016. The museum, located at 305 South River Road, will officially reopen on Saturday, Jan. 2, but museum officials are calling this... more »

• Lafayette's Grand Theatre scheduled to reopen following shooting

  November 9, 2015 12:45 PM

  LAFAYETTE - The Grand Theatre 16 in Lafayette where John Houser opened fire , killing two and injuring nine, is set to reopen on November 19. The theatre closed on July 23 after Jillian Johnson and Maycie Breaux were killed. Lafayette Parish-President Joey Durel purchased the first ticket,... more »

• Board approves plan to reopen Istrouma High

  October 15, 2015 7:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Thursday night, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board unanimously agreed to start the ground work of reopening Istrouma High School. Recently, Superintendent Warren Drake said it was his goal to take control of the school back from the Recovery School District and eventually get public... more »