Iberville Parish principal named state principal of the year as students return to classes - Louisiana news - NewsLocker (2024)

ST. GABRIEL - Iberville Parish rang in the new school year with many changes to dress code policies, transportation and security."We have ZeroEyes (an AI gun detection software), we have metal detectors, bag checks. But we make sure that the kids don't feel those things. We make sure the kids feel safe and we create a warm environment on a daily basis," Amanda Austin, Math, Science and Art Academy East principal, said.Austin was also named Louisiana principal of the year just weeks before the s

Recent vehicle burglary arrest, BRPD search warrant lead to suspect in shopping center burglary spree

BATON ROUGE - Last month, multiple stores at the Duplantier Place Shopping Center were burglarized. Now a recent arrest, for a different crime, and a search warrant filed by the Baton Rouge Police Department last week could point to a specific suspect.Last Friday, James Hutchinson was arrested in two vehicle burglaries near a Walmart Neighborhood Market on Highland Rd. Police were already looking at him as a possible suspect in the burglaries because of a job application he submitted at one of

Baton Rouge mom upset about late bus, EBR says few isolated incidents for first day of school

BATON ROUGE — East Baton Rouge schools said they had only a few isolated incidents involving buses for the first day of school.Gretchen Darone said she arrived 15 minutes before her child's scheduled time at 6:00 a.m. She tried to track the bus using the Where's the Bus app but did not see the route. She then called the transportation department to see what happened."She pulled it up and said that she can't really see anything. It shows a bus number but it doesn't show it's in route i

Ascension Parish Schools welcome back students; high schoolers walk the halls of new school

PRAIRIEVILLE — On Thursday, 23,000 students returned to school in Ascension Parish, including students at the brand-new Prairieville High School.“Now that they’re here, we’re actually able to start building our culture,” Randy Loving, Prairieville High’s principal, said. “We’re a blend of three different high schools and three different middle schools in our parish.”Loving said it’s now about &am

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Main water valve accidently damaged by contractor in Donaldsonville

DONALDSONVILLE - A main water line was accidentally damaged by a contractor between LA 308 and Christy Drive, according to the Ascension Parish Government.Valves have been closed to isolate the affected area. Anyone affected is asked to minimize water usage during this time to facilitate the repair process and ensure a faster recovery.There is no estimated time for when the valves will be re-opened.Permalink| Comments

LSU Police respond to road rage incident where driver pistol-whipped another near Tiger Stadium

BATON ROUGE — A driver struck another driver with a pistol after the two got into a confrontation near LSU's campus, LSU Police said.The road rage incident happened Wednesday around 9:40 p.m. at the intersection of Nicholson Drive and North Stadium Road steps away from Tiger Stadium. According to LSU Police, two drivers got out of their cars at the intersection to confront each other. It was at this point one driver struck the other across the face with a gun.After this, both drivers

Appeals court removes Supreme Court candidate for second-Black majority district over tax discrepancies

NEW ORLEANS — A Louisiana court of appeals shook up a Supreme Court race Thursday, ruling that a candidate for the state's second majority-Black seat is ineligible because she doesn't have a full set of tax returns on file.A Baton Rouge-based judge last week had said Louisiana Housing Corporation Chief of Staff Leslie Richard Chambers could stay on the ballot, despite questions over whether she had filed a return for 2022. Chambers' candidacy was also challenged because she didn't liv

Killian council member arrested for domestic battery, child endangerment

SPRINGFIELD — A Killian alderman was arrested for domestic abuse battery, the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said.Lyndon Hendley was taken into custody after police received a complaint in the Springfield area on Sunday, Aug. 4. LPSO says the victim described being physically injured and verbally threatened. There was also a juvenile in the home at the time of the incident.Hendley was arrested for domestic abuse battery - child endangerment. Before he was elected as an al

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Alabama man arrested for drunken driving after head-on collision with state trooper

HOUMA — A drunk driver who slammed into a State Trooper head-on while driving on La. 24 in Houma was arrested.Deak Matteson Jr., 63, was arrested Wednesday night for a first-offense DWI and vehicular negligent injuring, among other charges. Matteson, who is from Guin, Alabama, was driving a 2004 Ford F-150 south in the northbound lanes of La. 24 when he struck the trooper, who was traveling north in the northbound lane. Shortly before the collision, the trooper activated his

St. George Fire Department helping with Tropical Storm Debby in South Carolina

BATON ROUGE - The St. George Fire Department is assisting South Carolina with handling Tropical Storm Debby, according to the fire department's Facebook page.SGFD said South Carolina State Fire asked for assistance and seven members of the team offered support."We can’t think of a better group to be out there helping our friends in [South Carolina] as they navigate this storm," the post said.Permalink| Comments

BRPD: Man arrested for drug dealing after he threw bag of over a kilo of cocaine out of car

BATON ROUGE — A man was arrested on drug dealing charges after police tried to stop him after he threw a backpack of cocaine from his car, police said.Stanley Shepherd, 48, was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison early Wednesday morning for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.Around 12:30 a.m., officers attempted to stop Shepherd for a traffic violation. Police said they saw him throw a backpack out of the window. Shepherd then stopped his vehicle and officers

Police searching for man who stole gun from Alello Drive business

BATON ROUGE — Baton Rouge Police are searching for a man accused of stealing a gun from an Alello Drive business.Detectives are attempting to identify the man who was seen on surveillance footage stealing from a store in the 100 block of Alello Drive.BRPD did not provide any other details and ask anyone with information on the man pictured above call the department.Permalink| Comments

Person found shot to death on Quivera Street Wednesday night

BATON ROUGE - A person was found dead on Quivera Street after a shooting Wednesday night, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department.BRPD said the shooting took place around 11:28 p.m. and that the unidentified victim was found lying on the roadway with multiple gunshot wounds. He was wearing black clothing and a ski mask.This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone having information regarding this shooting incident is urged to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at (225)389-4869Permalink| Comment

One Tank Trips: Covington's English Tea Room

COVINGTON - If your morning coffee isn’t doing the job anymore, it might be time to try a different brew. One Covington couple took inspiration from across the pond to create an elaborate and exotic English Tea Room.Tim and Jan Lantrip opened the tea room 22 years ago with just 10 blends of tea to choose from. Flash forward more than a decade, they now serve 267 different teas, as well as a full menu packed with English classics.During her time as a pharmacist years ago, Jan says her

Man found shot dead in ditch along Dayton Street; local preschool put on lockdown

BATON ROUGE — A man was found dead in a ditch on Dayton Street near Interstate 110, officials said Thursday.The man's body was found with multiple gunshot wounds. Around 1:15 p.m., gunshots were reported in the area, officials said. Both Baton Rouge Police and the parish coroner responded to the scene.Officials said the nearby Rosenwald Preschool was temporarily placed on lockdown when shots were fired. The man's identity has not been revealed and a suspect has not been identified.Per

ABC says Trump and Harris have agreed to participate in a presidential debate on Sept. 10

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — ABC says both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have agreed to a Sept. 10 presidential debate, setting up a face-off between the Republican and Democratic nominees.The announcement Thursday came shortly after Trump told a news conference that he had proposed three presidential debates with three television networks, saying he agreed on certain dates in September. If the debate goes forward, it will air on WBRZ.Trump is rejoining the ABC debate days after posting o

LaMont Cole takes a walk down memory lane for EBR first day of school

BATON ROUGE - Thursday morning, new EBR superintendent LaMont Cole started the first day of school the same way he did nearly 40 years ago."Almost 40 years ago, I was a student here on this particular plot of land when it was Capitol Middle School. In 1984, I was a student here [until 1987]. From 1998 to 2003, I was the English and Reading teacher here and from 2006 to 2008, I was the principal here," says Cole.He greeted students and teachers at his alma mater, Capitol Middle School. 

Three Hammond men arrested for slew of drug, firearm charges

HAMMOND - Three men were arrested for various drug and firearm charges after a week-long investigation and multiple search warrants. The Hammond Police Department said officers with the narcotics division partnered with SWAT to conduct the warrants in Lincoln Park, Smith Square, and Mooney Park neighborhoods. Three people were arrested following the searches: 36-year-old Christopher McGee, 30-year-old Efrem Fields Jr., and 28-year-old Javokia McCaleb. The three men were arrest

Capital region goes back to school - Go behind the scenes with several campuses to see how their first days look!

BATON ROUGE - It's that time of year again: time to welcome a new group of students to campuses in and around the capital area as we start the 2024-25 school year!WBRZ has been taking you inside the schools starting back up as part of our Back 2 School team coverage this week. Take a look - we've had reporters go from Livingston to Iberville Parishes previewing what this year will look like. Below are links to the videos we aired while visiting several schools for their first days.&amp

Grandmother of 3-year-old shot and killed in his bed hosting prayer ahead of new school year

BATON ROUGE - With a new school year ahead of us, members of the community are coming together to pray for the safety of students and teachers alike amid an environment filled with gun violence. Cathy Toliver, whose grandson Devin Page Jr. was killed by a stray bullet while sleeping in his bed in April of 2022, is hosting a back to school prayer to bless the new school year. The prayer will be held at the 100 Black Men headquarters on North Foster Drive this Saturday at noon.&

New Orleans boil water advisory caused by Mylar balloon hitting power line to continue into Thursday

NEW ORLEANS - Some residents in New Orleans will have to go another day without water as after a Mylar balloon hit a power line Tuesday afternoon, which caused an electrical malfunction and knocked the drinking water pumps offline. The New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board said they are in the middle of testing, which should wrap up Thursday afternoon. If all of the samples pass inspection, the boil water advisory will be lifted. The SWBNO said after the balloon hit the power l

Mayor-President candidates kick earnings into high gear for second financial report

BATON ROUGE – Three months from the November election, the numbers are in for the most recent quarter’s campaign finance reports for the East Baton Rouge Mayor-President race. Candidates report all campaign donations since May.While political experts say the total money earned doesn't tell who will win the race, it gives an idea of who’s supporting each candidate.
Political analyst James Hartman says over the next three months, campaign donations will continue to g

Detectives searching for person who allegedly shoplifted $4,000 in merchandise from stores

BATON ROUGE - Detectives with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office are searching for a person who allegedly stole around $4,000 worth in merchandise from retail stores.Investigators believe this individual is responsible for numerous thefts from retail stores throughout the parish.Anyone with information should contact 225-344-7867.Permalink| Comments

West Baton Rouge kicks off first day of school Thursday, leaders say these are things students should know

WEST BATON ROUGE - The school year starts Thursday, Aug. 8 for students in West Baton Rouge, and Superintendent Chandler Smith says many parents and students ought to know before the morning bell rings.“We’ve been waiting all summer for their return,” Superintendent Smith said. “We’ve done a ton of professional development”Heading back to school will come with a few policy changes. The legislative session focused on classroom and handb

EBR Schools makes upgrades to buses, better accommodating drivers and students

BATON ROUGE — East Baton Rouge Parish students who are riding the bus for the first day of school on Thursday can expect some changes on their way to school.Last year several issues within the bus system caused drivers to go on strike leading to a day of classes being canceled. One reason was several buses did not have air conditioning.Office clerk and occasional bus driver Lee Cosey said he believes this year will be better than last year.“Having a more comfortable bus make

Zachary Community School District welcomes students back with bank to teach students financial skills

ZACHARY — The Zachary Community School District welcomes students back on Thursday.This year, the high school has something that no other school in the state has: A bank.The new bank, called the Bank of Zachary Bronco Branch, is a partnership between the school and the Bank of Zachary. The bank inside the school will teach kids financial literacy and even employ students."We have opened a student-led, for the students branch with our retail staff that will be here with them helping th

Plans to build grain export facility in historically Black town in St. John the Baptist Parish fall apart

WALLACE — Plans to build a 250-acre grain export facility in a historically black town in St. John the Baptist Parish have gone up in smoke.After a nearly three-year battle, Greenfield Louisiana says they are no longer moving forward with the project, which WBRZ originally reported on in February.“It just was so appropriate that in that moment we were standing there together and we heard Greenfield pulled out, and we let out shouts of joy,” Jo Banner, who has been

Appeals court rejects plea from Port Allen administrator to enter mayor's race

PORT ALLEN — A Louisiana appeals court has upheld a decision saying Port Allen's municipal administrator cannot run for mayor because he enjoys a property tax exemption on a house he owned in Plaquemine.In a 3-2 decision Wednesday, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal said Lance Joseph was ineligible to serve as Port Allen's mayor because he is not a resident of the West Baton Rouge city. An 18th Judicial District judge last week ruled that an Iberville Parish homestead exemption that has

15-year-old arrested for attempted first-degree murder after shooting on Washington Avenue

BATON ROUGE - A 15-year-old was arrested for attempted first-degree murder after a shooting on Washington Avenue.According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, the shooting took place on July 25 around 2:47 a.m., and a female juvenile suffered non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the shooting. The shooting occurred as a result of a verbal altercation, BRPD said.A 15-year-old male was identified as a suspect and was booked into the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Detention Center without inci

Man sentenced to 7 years in prison for beating death outside of Splash Nightclub

BATON ROUGE - A man was sentenced to seven years in prison two years after beating another person to death outside of an LSU-area nightclub. Court documents say that Edmond Revelle pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the killing of Hayes Sellers in May 2024 and was sentenced Tuesday. In May 2022, WBRZ reported that Sellers died in a hospital after he was beaten while trying to calm a drunken man who was picking fights outside a Baton Rouge club. According to arrest doc