WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• City will demolish house where child porn was found

  May 2, 2013 10:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The home of a man in jail on child porn charges will be torn down once utilities are disconnected the city said Thursday. A sign alerting of the demolition has already been posted on the home on Stoney Creek Avenue. David Burke lived there until he... more »

• City to deal with porn house called eyesore

  March 5, 2013 9:53 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The city will deal with a house where hundreds of images of child pornography were found last year. Neighbors have complained about the house on Stoney Creek Ave. A judge ruled the city can make repairs, and if it is deemed dangerous, it can be torn... more »

• US 4Q bank earnings up 37 pct.; highest in 6 years

  February 26, 2013 9:07 AM

  WASHINGTON- Profits of U.S. banks jumped almost 37 percent from October through December, reaching the highest level in six years as banks continued to step up lending. The figures are fresh evidence of the banking industry's sustained recovery more than four years after the financial crisis. The Federal Deposit Insurance... more »

• US home sales rose to 5-year high in 2012

  January 22, 2013 9:04 AM

  WASHINGTON- U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose in 2012 to their highest level in five years, spurred higher by record-low mortgage rates and steady hiring. The National Association of Realtors says sales reached 4.65 million last year. That's up 9.2 percent from 2011 and most since 2007. Sales are... more »

• 5 sign up for state races

  January 10, 2013 2:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Candidates have started signing up for two vacant state House seats. A race for the Baton Rouge area House District 65 seat Wednesday attracted two Republicans - businessman Barry Ivey, of Baton Rouge, and Metro Council member Scott Wilson, of Central. They're seeking to fill the seat formerly... more »

• APSO: Man tied up, robbed at his home

  January 8, 2013 4:12 PM

  BELLE ROSE - Sheriff's deputies asked for the public's help today finding the people responsible for a home invasion in Belle Rose earlier this week. Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack said two masked men robbed a 22-year-old Belle Rose resident in his home the night of Jan. 6. ... more »

• Feds: 1 indicted in plot to attack Federal Reserve

  October 17, 2012 2:51 PM

  NEW YORK - A 21-year-old man arrested on charges he plotted to blow up the Federal Reserve building in New York City has appeared in federal court and been ordered held without bail. Quazi Nafis was arrested Wednesday morning after a sting operation. Authorities say he parked a van filled... more »

• Oil and gas production ramping up after Isaac

  September 3, 2012 3:10 PM

  The nation's oil and gas hub along the Gulf Coast is slowly coming back to life in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac. The government said Monday that 800,000 barrels per day of oil production remained offline, 58 percent of Gulf of Mexico production. At the height of the storm 1.3... more »

• Grambling gears up for Port City Classic

  June 21, 2012 7:11 AM

  SHREVEPORT - The 2012 Port City Classic featuring the Grambling State University Tigers and the Alcorn State University Braves will be held Saturday, September 1, at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. Kick-off for the game is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are on sale at all Shreveport Federal... more »

• Saints bounties: Vilma hearing breaks up

  June 18, 2012 12:57 PM

  NEW YORK - Suspended Saints player Jonathan Vilma left an appeals hearing with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after about an hour Monday, denying he had a role in New Orleans' bounty program and saying the process is unfair. The linebacker's attorney, Peter Ginsberg, said the NFL requested an adjournment to... more »

• Saints Wrap up OTAs

  June 13, 2012 2:21 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Saints will wrap up Organized Team Activities this week before breaking for six weeks. Sports 2 will catch up with Interim Coach Joe Vitt and the team to gauge its off-season progress, and what to expect from the franchise before the long hiatus leading... more »

• Despite challenges, St. Helena test scores are up

  June 6, 2012 10:12 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Despite major challenges with budgets and buildings, test scores for St. Helena students are up. The district showed more improvement than any other district in the state. But some leaders say there is still a long way to go. Mike Steele will have more on what's... more »

• Bicentennial exhibit sets up in Minden

  May 27, 2012 11:52 AM

  MINDEN - A traveling exhibit marking the 200th anniversary of Louisiana's statehood has opened at the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum in Minden. The exhibit, titled Becoming Louisiana: Path to Statehood, will be on display until June 30. It is presented by the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission. The exhibit documents the role... more »

• 76ers even up series with Celtics

  May 24, 2012 7:12 AM

  PHILADELPHIA - Jrue Holiday scored 20 points, and Elton Brand had 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead the tough-and-determined Philadelphia 76ers past the Celtics, 82-75 on Wednesday night to send the Eastern Conference semifinals back to Boston for Game 7. No team has won consecutive games in a... more »

• Tangipahoa Sheriff rounds up non-compliant sex offenders

  May 16, 2012 10:51 AM

  HAMMOND - Tangipahoa Sheriff's deputies served arrest warrants for six sex offenders last Thursday, hoping to send a message to offenders to stay registered or face consequences. Authorities arrested Billy Joe Hart, 44; David Lee Beauchamp, 52; Kevin Lee Jarrell, 40; Kelcy Williams, 34; Zemmon Quillian, 54; and Sedrick... more »

• City officials to clean home of man arrested for child porn Play Video

  May 11, 2012 5:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The city of Baton Rouge plans to clean up the yard of a man who was arrested Thursday on 100 counts of child pornography. It's a story News 2 first brought you in October 2010, when the Department of Public Works said it was planning to... more »

• Landlords: Rent could go up because of CATS tax

  April 26, 2012 10:18 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Due to rising property taxes, landlords that own property in the city limits may pass those costs onto renters. On a $100,000 property, owners will pay an additional $106 a year in property taxes which could send rent up just as high. Tonight on News... more »

• Political battle over student loans heating up

  April 26, 2012 7:00 AM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats and Republicans say they want to prevent the cost of federal loans from doubling for millions of students. But in an intensifying election-year battle, each party wants to pay for it with savings the other side hates. In the latest political chess move in the fight, Speaker... more »

• Baton Rouge retail spending up 8 percent in Feb.

  April 17, 2012 7:11 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Retail spending by businesses and consumers in East Baton Rouge Parish rose 8 percent in February, the strongest February in four years. That's according to figures from the city-parish Finance Department. Based on sales tax collection figures, February had $626.8 million in total spending compared to $579.2... more »

• New Orleans tourists up by 462,000 in 2011

  March 26, 2012 2:58 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A study released Monday says 8.75 million tourists visited the New Orleans area last year. The University of New Orleans Hospitality Research Center says that's an increase of about 462,000 from 2010. The study estimates the visitors spent a record $5.47 billion, up $180 million from... more »

• Jindal education bills up for House debate

  March 22, 2012 7:15 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Debate has begun in the state House on bills making broad changes to Louisiana education law. Thursday's debate began with consideration of a bill to make government-funded private school tuition available for low-to-moderate income families whose children now attend low-performing public schools. That provision is part of a... more »

• Peak bloom for DC cherry blossoms moved up

  March 16, 2012 5:20 AM

  WASHINGTON - A continuing streak of warm weather means the famed cherry blossoms in the nation's capital will reach their peak bloom earlier than expected. National Cherry Blossom Festival spokeswoman Danielle Piacente said Wednesday that the chief horticulturist for the National Park Service is now projecting a peak bloom... more »

• New Orleans sets up police advisory boards

  February 8, 2012 4:39 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas have announced the formation of Police Community Advisory Boards in each of the city's eight police districts. The purpose of the boards is to develop and maintain a partnership between the community and the department's leadership. The... more »

• Mall of Louisiana to beef up security measures

  February 6, 2012 6:54 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A sheriff's spokeswoman says the Mall of Louisiana will hire off-duty deputies for night patrols. The move comes after a shooting in the area of the mall known as the The Boulevard that injured two teenagers last month. Casey Rayborn Hicks tells The Advocate that previously,... more »

• Gas prices continue to climb

  January 8, 2012 4:35 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Gas prices across the country are continuing to climb. According to AAA the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Louisiana was $3.24 as of Sunday. That's an increase of about ten cents from last weeks' average of o$3.14. A... more »

• Coffins washed up by high waters in W. Feliciana Play Video

  December 27, 2011 11:38 AM

  ST. FRANCISVILLE - Rising water in West Feliciana Parish washed up a number of coffins at the Magnolia Cemetery in St. Francisville. Inmates from the West Feliciana Parish Jail were out at the cemetery cleaning up the damage and moving the remains back to their original resting places this... more »

• More candidates sign up for presidential primary

  December 8, 2011 3:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La.- Four more Republican presidential candidates have signed up for Louisiana's March 24 primary ballot. The campaigns of U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer submitted paperwork to the secretary of state's office on Thursday.... more »

• La. streamlining commission wraps up its work

  November 1, 2011 3:01 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - A state cost-cutting commission formed to make suggestions during several budget shortfalls is going away at the end of the year. The Commission on Streamlining Government held its final meeting Tuesday to review what happened to its 238 recommendations for reducing state spending, cutting programs... more »

• U.S. oil and natural gas rig count up by 12

  August 5, 2011 2:33 PM

  HOUSTON - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 12 this week to 1,920. Houston-based drilling product provider Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,031 rigs were exploring for oil and 883 for natural gas. Six were listed as... more »

• Initial jobless claims up on GM shutdown

  April 1, 2011 1:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana labor officials say first-time claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week in the state, primarily because of a one-week shutdown of the General Motors Co. plant in Shreveport. The state Workforce Commission said there were 4,087 initial claims for the week ending March 26.... more »

• La. agriculture $9.9B in 2010, up 20 percent

  March 29, 2011 2:42 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- The LSU AgCenter says timber and poultry exports to Asia helped Louisiana's agricultural economy recover to $9.9 billion last year, up 20 percent from the $8.3 billion total in 2009. It says the poultry plant in Farmerville, which was closed for part of 2009, and timber exports... more »

• Oil Drives Airfares Up

  February 24, 2011 7:19 PM

  Airfares are taking off again and passengers should brace for more price increases due to the rising cost of jet fuel. The price of fuel is surging because of the spike in oil prices due to unrest in Libya and the Middle East. United and Continental started the latest price... more »

• U.S. rig count up by 6 this week

  January 7, 2011 2:12 PM

  HOUSTON (AP) - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by six this week to 1,700. Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. on Friday reported that 914 rigs were exploring for gas and 777 for oil. Nine were listed as miscellaneous. A year... more »

• DEQ: sewage pond leaked into waterways for thirty years

  October 22, 2010 6:53 PM

  A trailer park owner is cleaning up a sewage pond in Iberville Parish after it went unnoticed by state inspectors for thirty years. The pond is at a trailer park that closed in May, and officials believe runoff from it may have seeped into the Upper Grand River and other... more »

• Sentencing delay sought for ex-N.O. cop

  October 13, 2010 6:43 AM

  Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to postpone a sentencing hearing for a former New Orleans police officer who pleaded guilty to helping cover up deadly shootings of unarmed residents on a bridge in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. The former officer, Michael Hunter, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 17, but... more »

• BP unveils device to clean Gulf beaches of oil

  August 11, 2010 2:18 PM

  A new device aimed at doing a better job of cleaning Gulf coast beaches of oil and tar has been unveiled by BP. It is called the Sand Shark. BP demonstrated the device at Orange Beach, Alabama, which has been the site of regular cleanup work, due the... more »

• Storm plan could delay Gulf oil spill cleanup

  August 9, 2010 5:40 AM

  A response plan obtained by The Associated Press requires that the oil be tested for its origin before it can be cleaned up after a hurricane. That's supposed to make it easier for the government to get reimbursed from BP if a hurricane spreads oil from the Gulf of Mexico... more »

• Stocks end the week up

  February 26, 2010 7:35 PM

  The stock market closed slightly higher today after a volatile week on Wall Street. The Dow was up 4 points to 10,325. The S&P gained nearly 2 points, while the Nasdaq gained 4 points. more »

• Vitter to stop holding up Obama nominees

  February 1, 2010 2:02 PM

  U.S. Sen. David Vitter says he'll stop holding up President Barack Obama's nominations for federal prosecutors and judgeship positions in Louisiana. Vitter had been refusing to sign off on the nominations because he wanted assurances the White House wouldn't get rid of U.S. Attorney Jim Letten in the Eastern... more »