News - NBC33tv.com

New health center in Ascension

Kelsey Scram — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:01:37 -0500

Ascension residents can expect a shorter drive to get the medical care they need. A new health clinic in Prairieville opens Monday, bringing more doctors and medical specialties to the growing parish.

Sales go towards non-profit organizations

Kelsey Scram — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:58:29 -0500

You can help a local non-profit organization just by shopping the sales this weekend. Certain retailers are holding their annual "Give and Get" fundraiser. You get 30% off any of your purchases and 5%of what you spend goes towards several non-profit organizations, including Dress for Success.

The organization gives suits to disadvantaged women for job interviews, part of a bigger plan to boost job opportunities and confidence.

Here in Baton Rouge, the local organization is just starting out, so every single dollar counts.

Pitbull bites reporter

Emily Turner / NBC33 News — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 07:45:25 -0500

NBC 33 reporter Emily Turner was rushed to the emergency room Friday afternoon after a pitbull bit her in the wrist.

Turner was following up on a Thursday night story involving a police officer who was forced to shoot and kill a pitbull after it bit another cop and a jogger.

Turner talked with East Baton Rouge Animal Control and pitbull owners about the breed.

While emily was out shooting the story she met up with a family who said their pitbull was nice. The dog who, at first, was OK with her petting him--ended up biting her. It was all caught on tape.

Gun found at Glen Oaks High

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:00:20 -0500

East Baton Rouge Sheriff's deputies arrested Glen Oaks High student, accused of bringing a gun to school.

Authorities said they found a gun in the backpack of an 8th grade student. Another classmate reported the weapon to a teacher.

The 16-year-old allegedly had an unloaded .22 caliber revolver.

State colleges told to expect cuts

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:51:57 -0500

Louisiana colleges may have to prepare for yet another round of budget cuts.

Governor Jindal's administration says it could be as much as $84 million, due to the new mid year budget estimates.

Those cuts would have to be made by June 30. Lower than expected tax revenue could put the deficit at 400 million.

Suspected Brec Park shooter surrenders

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:46:51 -0500

Police arrested the man suspected of a shooting at Brec's Progress Park.

Tremon Foster turned himself into police. Investigators said the incident was the result of an argument that built up for several days.

22-year-old Mark Gause was killed. A 19-year-old was injured and is still in the hospital.

Tutoring hotline now open

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:39:04 -0500

Tutoring help is available for students taking the state's standardized tests.

The Department of Education says it's tutoring hotline is now open. Student can call from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, for help with the LEAP test.

The hotline started two years ago and gets 200 calls per day.

The toll-free number is 1-877-453-2721.

Westboro Church skips protest

Tyler Gamble, Reporter — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:32:26 -0500

Protestors from the Westboro Baptist Church were no shows tonight at the opening of "The Laramie Project" at Dutchtown High School.

Hundreds of counter protestors showed up.

School officials say the attention helped fill seats at the play.

The protest ended peacefully around 7:30pm.

Flagman victim of extreme road rage

Emily Turner / NBC33 News — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:25:15 -0500

A member of a construction crew is fighting for his life after being punched in the face and left for dead on the side of the road.

The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office says it all happened Tuesday morning on Brown Road in Denham Springs

Investigators say construction crews closed off one lane to load their equipment when 26-year-old Jeremy Dyess got out of his car and knocked out the man who was directing traffic.

They say the victim fell to the ground and his head slammed into the asphalt.

CONVERGYS is Adding 200 Full-Time Jobs in Baton Rouge.

NBC33 News Staff — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:29:59 -0500

Convergys is adding two-hundred full-time jobs in Baton Rouge.

Convergys operates a customer service call-center on Florida Boulevard in Baton Rouge. The new employees will provide customer service support for the telecommunication industry.

Interested candidates also may apply online at www.convergys.com/careers. For more information, call Convergys' local Jobline at (225) 987-2300.

Sprite Refreshes Local School through Nationwide Sweepstakes

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:23:04 -0500

SPRITE REFRESHES LOCAL SCHOOLS THROUGH NEW NATIONWIDE SWEEPSTAKES

Rewards Program Gives Community Members the Chance to Help Schools Win $25,000 Playground Makeover and Earn Points Toward Supplies

Child killer receives death penalty

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:01:24 -0500

A jury in Baton Rouge has ordered the death penalty for a St. Louis man convicted of killing his girlfriend's 2-year-old son in 2007.

The verdict was returned Wednesday against 32-year-old Dacarius Holliday, who had been convicted of first-degree murder in the beating death of Darian Coon. The jury deliberated the punishment for about 90 minutes.

A prosecutor said the boy had 75 bruises and a lacerated liver and kidney. The defense contended that Holliday was reckless and negligent, but never meant to kill the toddler.

Former Livingston Parish Sheriff dies

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:58:15 -0500

A former Livingston Parish Sheriff has died.

Odom Graves passed away, Wednesday. He served as sheriff from 1976 until 1996.

He's the father of current Sheriff Willy Graves.

Services will be Friday at Live Oak Methodist Church in Watson. Visitation runs from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. He was 86 years old.

Appeal filed in Wilson recall

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:55:25 -0500

An appeal was filed in the recall election for the mayor of Wilson.
Mayor Joshua Thomas filed the paperwork yesterday to stop the march 27th election.

He said, he's hoping to overturn a district judge's decision to throw out the recall petition. The mayor believes many of the signatures were forged.

Court officials said it could take several days for a judge to grant the appeal.

HIV+ Man Accused of Abusing Child

NBC33 News Staff — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:50:17 -0500

A Houston man has been accused of sexually assaulting a child and using his body as a deadly weapon.

Prosecutors said Kevin Sellars, 49, contacted a 15-year-old boy through his MySpace page and paid for him to fly from his home in Indiana to Houston.

Houston police said that for 10 days in December, the boy stayed at Sellars' Montrose-area apartment, where he was repeatedly sexually abused.

Beer Assault

NBC33 News Staff — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:48:30 -0500

They went on a beer run and ran out of the store without paying, but not before knocking a 74-year-old woman to ground, sending her to the hospital.

"I was walking out with my groceries, going out to my car," said Phyllis Friske.

The woman can been seen in surveillance video pushing a shopping cart outside an Everett Safeway.

"I saw a car along the curb with the doors open, but you know I never thought a thing about it," said Friske.

Flooding could be on the way

Kelsey Scram — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:34:34 -0500

An NBC33 Safety Alert...federal officials are warning Louisiana residents that flooding could be on the way. This year, Mississippi River levels have been unusual high, but forecasters predict, they're going to get higher.

More than a third of the United States is at risk for flooding this spring, thanks to extra snowmelt up north and lots of rain around here. Experts predict the water in the Mississippi will rise to about 34 feet or higher, but they say it probably won't be as bad as it could be. Peak levels for the river reached 47 feet years ago.

Controversial Curtain Call

Andrew Capasso — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:28:49 -0500

A high school play is sparking controversy just outside Baton Rouge.
Students at Dutchtown High School will perform "The Laramie Project."
It's about a homosexual man who was killed in Wyoming back in 1998.

But that performance has caught the eye of those at Westboro Baptist Church. It's a church known for sayings like "Thank God for 9/11" and "Thank God for Katrina."

The Church's protest is expected to be met with opposition with some angry residents in Dutchtown. They say.. the kids should be able to just put on a good show.

The play starts at 5:30 Thursday evening.

East Feliciana school board approves consolidation plan

Emily Turner / NBC33 News — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:12:34 -0500

The East Feliciana Parish school board plans to combat a projected $2 million dollar shortfall in next year's budget by consolidating the area's two middle and high schools. The decision was made in a special meeting held Tuesday night.

School board members say beginning next fall the consolidated high school will be located in Jackson at Jackson High's campus and the middle school ten miles down the road in Clinton at Clinton High.

Getting Ready for the Next Hurricane

Andrew Capasso — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:16:59 -0500

Hundreds of meteorologists, emergency managers, and first responders are at LSU to get the latest on what's predicted to be a very busy hurricane season.

They're at the school for the central gulf of mexico hurricane conference. This year's main topic is storm surge.

First responders are there to listen in and get the latest information for what's predicted to be a very busy season.

They say any new info is crucial when it comes to saving lives.
The conference runs through Wednesday afternoon.

Wilson recall election is on

Tyler Gamble, Reporter — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:58:40 -0500

The recall election for the mayor of Wilson will go on as scheduled for now.

Current Mayor Joshua Thomas was in court Tuesday hoping a judge would throw out a petition voters put together to schedule a recall election.

The 25-year-old believes many of the signatures on the petition were forged.

But the registrar of voters says, according to the election code, Thomas' objection is too late.

Thomas has the option to appeal.

Backers of the recall say Thomas won't work with the board of alderman and fired valuable workers.

Citizens speak out: expected ELMHS cuts

Emily Turner / NBC33 News — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:32:44 -0500

A state capital meeting room was packed for a House Appopriations Committee meeting Tuesday. Hundreds showed up to hear the discussion of possible budget cuts to the Department of Health and Hospitals.

Sitting in on the DHH's Executive Budget Review were many concerned citizens from East Feliciana Parish.

They came to speak out against the state's plans to eliminate 300 jobs and 200 patient beds from the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System

The DHH plans to privatize some of the hospital, meaning private companies would be contracted to run portions of it.

Louisiana roads rank as deadliest in the nation

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:18:41 -0500

A new survey puts two of Louisiana's roadways among the deadliest in the United States.

Reader's Digest released it's latest ranking for the "Deadliest Roads in the Country."

According to the article, Interstate 55 and Interstate 12 are particularly dangerous. It also said Louisiana had some of the worst roads, in general.

The publication ranked all 50 states and determined the safest, most scenic and sensible roads, along with the most dangerous ones, including the top 10 deadliest for DUI's and speeding.

Suspected serial killer convicted for attempted murder

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:15:56 -0500

An accused serial killer will spend the next 50 years workinG hard labor.

A judge sentenced Jeffrey Lee Guillory for the attempted murder of Johnnie Rose Martinez.

Guillory beat and robbed her in a wooded area of Lafayette in 2007. A jury convicted him on the charges earlier this month.

Guillory is also accused in the slayings of three women in Baton Rouge between 1999 and 2002. He has yet to stand trial on those charges.

Mid year deficit higher than expected

Rachel Slavik / NBC33 News — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:07:56 -0500

State agencies may have to cut a little deeper to save cash. A new estimate shows the mid year budget deficit could be as high as 400 million dollars.

It's due to an unexpected drop in state tax collections. The governor cut $248 million, earlier this year, to adjust for shrinking tax collections.

Any new cuts will have to be spread over two to three months, as the fiscal year comes to an end.

LSU students to brew own beer?

Emily Turner / NBC33 News — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:04:27 -0500

LSU is "brewing up" a new work study program for its food science students-- one that would allow beer to be made and sold on campus!

John Finley head of the University's Food Science Department says Chancellor Michael Martin approached him with the plan three months ago. Finley says a formula for the beer has already been created and he thinks he's found the ideal place to house the microbrewery--right on the rim of LSU's campus at the Lod Cook Alumni Center.

Special Olympics donations down

Kelsey Scram — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:03:23 -0500

Hundreds of athletes from all over the state headed to the capital city this weekend to take part in some friendly competition. It was all part of the Indoor Games for the Louisiana Special Olympics.

Neighbors shocked by murder-suicide

Kelsey Scram — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:13:06 -0600

Neighbors living near the victims of a tragic murder-suicide say the area is usually very safe. Deputies in Livingston Parish found three gunshot victims in a house on King George Bay Road near the town of French Settlement Friday afternoon.

This came after they received a call from the mother-in-law of 39-year-old Joseph Shaffett. Deputies say she told them Shaffett claimed to have shot his wife and child and was about to shoot himself.

Baton Rouge ready for St. Patty's Day

Emily Turner / NBC33 News — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:51:36 -0600

The streets of Baton Rouge are set for one gigantic St. Patty's day celebration.
Saturday, it's the 25th Annual Wearin’ of the Green Parade…and it's a scene that not only partygoers are looking forward to.

Renaming Port Allen road could prove expensive for residents

Tyler Gamble, Reporter — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:11:27 -0600

Folks in Port Allen say hometown hero Tracy Porter put their city on the map, and now they want to give something back to him.

Mayor derek Lewis helped introduce an ordinance at the town council meeting Wednesday night.

The proposal would rename the street Porter grew up on in his honor.

But residents living there could face some road blocks if the name changes.

They would have one year to change everything from driver's licenses to social security checks.

Some say not everyone there has the means to do it.