BATON ROUGE - The 2024 Connecting East Baton Rouge Neighborhood Convention is taking place in September at the Raising Cane's River Center, according to the East Baton Rouge City-Parish government.

The goal of the event is to bringing together neighborhood leaders and residents, public safety leaders, city-parish department heads and youth from across the parish for sharing practices and tools needed to build strong, connected neighborhoods.

The event is taking place Saturday, September 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Anyone interested in registering can sign up here.

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BATON ROUGE — A toddler was brought to the hospital Friday after being struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run on Harry Drive, Baton Rouge Police said.

The two-year-old was struck by a vehicle on Harry Road near North Carrollton Avenue and was found unconscious in the street. The child was brought to a hospital after emergency officials were called and is stable, BRPD said.

The 16-year-old driver of the car was later found and ticketed, BRPD said. The families of the driver and the child know each other, officials added.

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BATON ROUGE - Bluebonnet Boulevard in front of the Hyatt Place hotel re-opened after a hazardous materials incident, according to officials.

Louisiana State Police Hazmat has been called in to take over the scene.

No other information is available at this time.

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LIVINGSTON — The developers of the proposed Deer Run development in Livingston Parish and parish officials who stopped work on the project this year reached an agreement to resolve their dispute Friday, and the federal judge who had scheduled a trial for next week called it off and closed the case.

U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick announced a tentative settlement Friday but said it was conditional. By the end of the day, representatives of the parish and Ascension Properties had agreed to the terms, and Dick added her signature later. A brief meeting is set for Monday to ensure everyone understands the terms.

The developers began seeking approval in 2022. The 2,000 acres of Deer Run were to have included 400 apartments and 689 lots. Subsequent changes to the plan reduced the proposed density and the parish gave its go-ahead. 

But Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte issued a stop work order this year after taking over the parish government — saying he was worried the developers weren't following parish development rules and hadn't paid the requisite fees. As it had amid previous disputes over the development, Ascension Properties sued and claimed the parish had unfairly shifted zoning regulations to target the development.

In a statement Friday, Delatte said he concurred in the settlement, which is set for a review by the parish ordinance and planning committee on Aug. 22. Either way, he said, the parish was between a rock and a hard place.

“If we win the suit, the only outcome would be that they could resume work as if the stop work order had never been issued by paying fees owed to Livingston Parish. If we lose, the parish could face over $1 million in attorney fees and a substantial judgment in the millions of dollars funds that Livingston Parish Government simply does not have,” he said.

John Wascom, a Livingston Parish councilman, also agreed with Delatte.

"The proposed development is gonna put way too much of a burden on our infrastructure, our roads, our traffic, our drainage, our sewers, our schools. It's a major impact to those things," Wascom said. "We've actually accepted offers and entered into contracts with specific companies to help us implement zoning in the parish to prove our land use master plan."

Under the proposed pact, the parish will pay $125,000 in Ascension legal fees and give the company a $275,000 credit toward future parish fees.

“This was a complex decision by the Council members who had to make a difficult decision. Every single one of them wanted to vote against the settlement because, like the residents of our parish, they believe this development is not suitable for this location,” Delatte said.

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BATON ROUGE - A new recycling unit is available and open to the public.

The recycling unit is located at 10444 North Mall Drive at the Sam's Club. You do not have to be a member of Sam's Club to take part in the collection of recyclable materials. 

Bring your aluminum, plastic, home cleaning bottles, plastic bags, and food packaging to the unit to help contribute to the recycling effort in Baton Rouge. 

The unit is part of a joint effort from Walmart and Sam's Club to promote sustainable living and mindful disposal of items. 

“We aspire to become a regenerative company, and the Community Recycling Program is a part of our effort to test and improve access to recycling for our customers,” said Suzanne Cole, senior manager of Sustainability Strategic Initiatives at Walmart. “We are working to continuously improve our efforts to help with plastic reduction and recycling strategies that benefit the broader community.”

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GONZALES — A Louisiana state representative was arrested early Friday for drunken driving in Gonzales, Louisiana State Police said.

Kendricks Brass (D-Vacherie) was arrested for a first-offense DWI and improper lane usage after a state trooper stopped the 47-year-old after he was swerving in and out of the travel lane on La. 44 near Interstate 10 just after midnight.

Brass, who was driving a GMC Yukon SUV, was visibly impaired and failed multiple sobriety tests, including a chemical breath test that registered over the legal limit of 0.08% blood alcohol content, troopers said.

Brass was released on a summons for the traffic violations, troopers added.

Brass has served as a state representative since 2017 and is eligible to serve through the 2024 term. Brass' District 58 includes portions of Ascension, St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes.

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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials Friday announced a recall of some Boar’s Head liverwurst and other deli meats as they investigate a listeria outbreak that has sickened nearly three dozen people and caused two deaths.

Boar’s Head Provisions Co. recalled its liverwurst because it may be tainted with the listeria bacteria, the U.S. Agriculture Department said. The company is also recalling additional deli meats that were produced on the same line and on the same day as the liverwurst.

The USDA said a sample of Boar’s Head liverwurst from a Maryland store tested positive for listeria. The sample was from an unopened package, collected by the Maryland Department of Health as part of an investigation into the listeria outbreak.

Testing is underway to determine if the liverwurst sample is connected to the outbreak, health officials said.

The outbreak was first reported last week. As of Thursday, 34 people were sickened, with all but one hospitalized. Two people died.

People most commonly reported eating deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst and ham, officials said.

Listeria can contaminate food and sicken people who eat it. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea. It can be treated with antibiotics, but it is especially dangerous to pregnant women, newborns, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

The Boar’s Head recall includes a number of products stamped with an August 10 sell-by date, including bologna, garlic bologna, beef bologna, beef salami, Italian Cappy-style ham and Extra Hot Italian Cappy-style ham. Also included is Steakhouse Roasted Bacon Heat and Eat, with a sell-by date of Aug. 15.

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WOODVILLE, Miss. — A trio—including an ex-girlfriend—who allegedly plotted to kill a former Southern University sophomore found shot dead, now face murder charges in western Mississippi, the Wilkinson County Sheriff said Friday.

Derek Terrell Hollins Jr., 21, Calajia Jack, 20, and Allyah Martin, 21, each face first-degree murder charges in Wilkinson County, where a body believed to be Steven Harris was found shot.

The three suspects were arrested on conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in West Feliciana Parish on Thursday, where they are currently being held as they await extradition proceedings to face their murder charges in Mississippi, Wilkinson County deputies said.

The body found on Tuesday has not been positively identified as Harris, but investigators said they are confident in their assessment that the body is Harris after discussions with his family. 

The Wilkinson County Coroner's Office has not yet conducted an autopsy, saying that they are waiting on a DNA sample from Harris' family. 

In Louisiana, 20th District Attorney Sam D'Aquilla said there is no plan to call for a grand jury in this case, as he plans to charge all three individuals involved.

Earlier in the week, West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Brian Spillman said that his office found evidence that the trio of suspects conspired to lure Harris to Mississippi and kill him.

"We believe the plan to commit this crime was hatched here, and the initial phases leading up to Steven’s death began here in West Feliciana Parish," Spillman said.

One of the suspects, Martin, was dating Harris and had a child with him. The pair had a history of filing restraining orders against one another, each alleging physical abuse on the other's behalf, court records show.

The pair ultimately settled on joint custody with their son mostly living with Martin and having visitation with Harris. He later filed a complaint asking that she be held in contempt because she had moved to Texas without notifying him, violating their custody agreement which required notification of any move of more than 50 miles.

According to Harris' family, he went missing a little over a week before a Thursday custody hearing where he was eager to keep fighting for the full custody of his son. Harris' son is currently living with Harris' parents, they told WBRZ.

Harris' mother Lasonia already had suspicions of Martin when Allyah told her that her son was at the same location where his cell phone last pinged. Only Lasonia, her husband and the police knew of the last location, adding that her son and Martin weren't on speaking terms when he disappeared.

Despite Southern University saying that there are no university or student-planned memorials for Harris, the Southern University Marching Band—The Human Jukebox—extended their condolences to his family.

"Steven was not just a bandmate; he was part of our family, and his memory will always hold a special place in our hearts," a post from Thursday said.

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BATON ROUGE — Duck hunters are taking over the capital city this weekend.

Delta Waterfowl, a premier conservation organization, is putting on the Duck Hunters Expo, the biggest waterfowl hunting show in North America.

Organizers are expecting more than 20,000 to attend over the weekend at the Raising Cane's River Center, which is filled with vendors that duck hunting enthusiasts are bound to enjoy.

"If you're a deer hunter you have to be in the woods and be quiet and you're sitting out there all by yourself. But if you're duck hunting you can be out there with four or five of your buddies, yucking it up having a great time and still be able to have conversations," Brad Heidel, a duck hunter from Wisconsin, said.

The expo's events include a duck dog parade at 11 a.m. on Friday, an 11:45 a.m. opening ceremony hosted by Gov. Jeff Landry with representatives from Delta and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and a duck calling contest at noon.

The event is set to conclude with the Grand Duck Hunters Banquet at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday with a focus on conservation efforts. 

The expo runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

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BATON ROUGE — An Iberville Parish man was suspended from hunting for a year and will pay a $1,135 fine after pleading guilty to migratory game bird violations, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said.

Hunter Settoon, 20, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to placing bait to hunt migratory game birds and taking migratory game birds over a baited area.

LDWF agents cited Settoon on Jan. 1, 2023, after they saw him hunting migratory game birds over an area that agents had documented to be baited with wheat and corn.

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BATON ROUGE - Amid an overall low donor turnout and a 30% blood donation shortfall during the first week of July, blood service provider Vitalant is facing an emergency shortage of type-O blood. 

Vitalant said Friday that in addition to the 18-month low, the provider is experiencing an acute shortage of type-O blood, with less than half of the typical four-day supply left. 

“No doctor should have to face the impossible choice of which patient receives the blood they need and who must wait,” Vitalant Chief Medical and Scientific Officer Ralph Vassallo, M.D. said. “There isn’t anything that can substitute for lifesaving blood donations from generous donors. Donors of all blood types continue to be urgently needed.”

You can donate blood any day with Vitalant, local hospitals such as Our Lady of the Lake, or blood donation centers like LifeShare. 

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BATON ROUGE - Whether you're a parent or a student, the first day at elementary school can be nerve-wracking. Volunteers in Public Schools are here to help ease some of those worries. 

For the first day of school, volunteers will be there to help with bus duty, carpooling, office help, and even calming anxious parents and students. 

This year, over 100 volunteers will be staged at 21 schools around the parish. VIPS director Judy Bethly says this is an improvement from previous years as more and more people feel comfortable returning after COVID. 

"We know the first day can be a little overwhelming for students, parents, and teachers," Bethly said. "VIPS is so pleased to offer this service where our volunteers lend a helping hand wherever help is needed. We want our students' first day to be memorable."

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BATON ROUGE - A vacant home was ruled to be a total loss Friday morning after being completely engulfed in flames. 

Fire officials said the cause of the fire is not yet determined. When they arrived on scene to the fire on Eaton Street around 5:30 a.m., the home was fully engulfed and firefighters worked to keep the blaze from spreading to nearby homes. 

No injuries were reported, but the home is considered a total loss. 

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Hunter McCann has this weekend's best bets for the Paris 2024 Olympics and the MLB! 

Olympics Futures:

USA Gold Medals: o41.5

Netherland Gold Medals: u14.5

Women’s 100m: Sha’carri Richardson to win Gold

Women’s 100m Butterfly Gold Medal Winner: Gretchen Walsh

Women’s Soccer: USA to win Gold

Men’s Golf: Jon Rahm to win Gold

Men’s Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz to win Gold

Women’s Tennis: Coco Gauff to win Gold

Men’s Shot Put: Ryan Crouser to win Gold

Friday

MLB:

Cubs @ Royals: Cubs ML

Guardians @ Phillies: Phillies -1.5

Padres @ Orioles: Orioles -1.5

Yankees @ Red Sox: Yankees ML

Dodgers @ Astros: Dodgers ML

Athletics @ Angels: u9.5 Total Runs

Saturday

Olympics:

Men’s Soccer: New Zealand vs USA: USA ML

Men’s Basketball:  USA vs Serbia: USA -12.5

Men’s Basketball: Canada vs Greece: Canada -7.5

MLB:

TBD

Sunday

Olympics:

TBD

MLB:

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BATON ROUGE - A man was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison for drug trafficking charges amid an investigation into drug trafficking circles around the parish. 

Officials called Timothy Franklin, 40, a "career offender" in a release sent out Friday morning announcing his sentencing. Franklin was convicted for four counts of distribution of heroin. 

In 2019, undercover agents and a confidential source purchased over 150 grams of heroin in three separate transactions. 

After the three initial controlled buys, agents obtained text messages to and from Franklin's phone confirming Franklin as the one performing the transactions. 

Franklin was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison—over 13 years—and three years of supervised release following his sentence. 

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BATON ROUGE - New to the city is a unique form of fitness known as Lagree. This workout is a full-body, high-intensity, low-impact fitness method that uses a Megaformer machine to combine resistance training and cardio.

Élevè Fitness is the only known facility that offers this method in Baton Rouge. Along with Lagree, Élevè uses elevated cycling instead of the traditional seated cycling. Owner and coach Jennifer Dellorfano says "The versa climber machine is a contra-lateral movement... it's a full-body workout." 

A circuit class is also offered and taught at the fitness boutique, which is considered high-intensity with weight training and cardio. The class consists of three activities that are continuously rotated until the session is over. This targets different body parts for an overall workout. 

For more information, visit https://www.instagram.com/elevefitness__/

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BATON ROUGE - Two teachers unions that were planning a sickout on the first day of school to protest Adam Smith's removal from the superintendent ballot have canceled those plans. 

The sickout was initially planned as a way to push for interim superintendent Adam Smith to be properly appointed to the position and as a method of protest after his name was pulled from the ballot. 

However, after Metro Council member LaMont Cole was unanimously selected to serve as the new superintendent with Smith serving as his deputy, union leaders have called off those plans. 

Union leaders Valencea Johnson and Angela Reams Brown say while they are disappointed with Smith's decision to pull his name, they will respect his decision and his support of Cole. 

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WEST FELICIANA - Deputies in West Feliciana arrested three suspects Thursday in connection to the disappearance and death of Southern University student Steven Harris. Harris was reported missing on July 17 by his parents.

The three people in custody are being charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Their names are Derek Terrell Hollins Jr., Allyah Martin, and Calajia Jack. Martin is Harris’ ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child.

Earlier this week Steven Harris’ body was discovered in Centreville, Mississippi. Family members say Allyah Martin told them Steven went to a party in Centreville the night he disappeared, although his friends had no idea Steven left the state.

"We got some information Tuesday where his body might be located. So we contacted the Wilkinson Sheriff's Office and asked they assist us there, and they did," West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Brian Spillman said.

Investigators say the three planned to bring Harris from his home in West Feliciana Parish and go through with his death. Spillman says investigators put pieces together when they realized Steven Harris and Allyah Martin, who according to court documents had a strained relationship, had a custody hearing coming up for their young child.

Spillman says the hardest part has been sharing the tragic news with Steven Harris’ family.

“Although it brought them some closure, it's very difficult to give a death notification when the year-and-a-half-old son of the victim is taking a nap in the room where you're having this discussion.”

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PORT ALLEN - Two people were arrested after a person was shot and robbed during an attempt to sell an item, according to the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office.

Deputies say the shooting took place Tuesday, July 23 in the Rebelle Lane area of Port Allen. The victim, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, reported that he had attempted to sell an item through an online marketplace when the suspect brandished a handgun, robbed him, and shot him in the leg.

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DUTCHTOWN - The Dutchtown Griffins are tasked with continuing their recent run of success into the state semifinals while also replacing many of the players who helped get them there.

A disappointing semifinal loss to Zachary capped an 11-2 season, the best mark in seven season under head coach Guy Mistretta.

Now they're looking to build on that success and Mistretta feels like the culture they've developed over time will help this inexperienced group find their footing as the season progresses.

Quarterback Dylan Champagne is back to lead the offense and the return of offensive lineman Christian Gautreau from injury a season ago should make the Griffins offense potent once again.

Defensive end Josh Lewis and linebacker Mason Miles were pointed out by Mistretta as being key pieces that will keep the team moving in the right direction while they figure out their on-field responsibilities.

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