Westside

No injuries after pipeline leak leads to shelter in place orders in Plaquemine, officials say

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Oct 11, 2024

An ExxonMobil pipeline carrying a highly flammable gas ruptured early Friday in Iberville Parish and forced shelter in place orders for Plaquemine High and a neighborhood south of the school f…

New details emerge about a fire that burned two workers at a Chevron plant in Louisiana

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Oct 10, 2024

About 75,000 cubic feet of highly flammable vapor caught fire last month at an Ascension Parish renewable fuels plant as crews were working on equipment that uses hydrogen to treat animal fats…

WBRSO deputy arrested, accused of stealing fuel for personal vehicle, Sheriff's Office says

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Oct 7, 2024

A deputy with the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office has been arrested, accused of stealing fuel from the parish for his personal vehicle, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release Monday.

Body found in Mississippi River identified as Baton Rouge murder suspect, authorities say

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Oct 3, 2024

A body found along the Mississippi River bank in Addis has been identified as an accused murder suspect wanted in Baton Rouge, the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

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Sheriff says Pointe Coupee Parish is 'overrun with black bears,' calls for change

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Sep 18, 2024

Multiple black bears have been seen recently in the Pointe Coupee area, reflecting a trend that Sheriff René Thibodeaux says is concerning for the parish.

A deputy conducted a traffic stop in Pointe Coupee Parish. A kangaroo was in the car.

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Sep 17, 2024

A Pointe Coupee sheriff's deputy was conducting a traffic stop when he found something unexpected in the car — a kangaroo.

Inmate dies at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center; investigation underway, DOC says

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Sep 15, 2024

UPDATE: Inmate who died after altercation at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center identified, DOC says

'Thank you, Lord': After hard hit from Francine, power returning to Ascension, other parishes

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Sep 13, 2024

For nearly two days, 81-year-old Ascension Parish resident Redina Lee had been living without lights, air conditioning or running water and had a collapsed hall ceiling.

Man hospitalized after being hit by train in Pointe Coupee Parish, sheriff says

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Sep 2, 2024

A man has been hospitalized after being hit by a train in Pointe Coupee Parish early Monday morning, Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux said.

4-year-old dies from self-inflicted gunshot wound in Brusly, Sheriff's Office says

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Sep 1, 2024

UPDATE: Louisiana 4-year-old dies after finding gun while playing in father's car at home

Accused of killing 2 people with a butcher knife, Louisiana man found guilty

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Aug 26, 2024

A Louisiana man accused of killing two people with a butcher knife in 2022 was found guilty of the murders on Friday.

A Louisiana landfill has had five fires since April 2023. What is causing them?

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Aug 15, 2024

The causes of some of the fires are unknown, while others have been blamed on large sacks of industrial waste.

Greenfield elevator scuttled as Corps weighed site's significance to slave, plantation history

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Aug 12, 2024

Angelica and Rodney Mitchell always thought plans to build a large grain export facility just next door to their home in Wallace was out of step with the needs of their historic community.

Refiners, petrochem gain the attention, but these small plants have big role in pollution too

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Aug 8, 2024

Aging plants that process a byproduct of crude oil refining into vital metals feedstocks exist in a gap of federal pollution oversight, allowing the facilities to have an outsized impact on lo…

Visit St. Francisville announces Live Like a Local campaign

Community news report
Aug 6, 2024

Visit St. Francisville announces the Live Like a Local campaign, from Aug. 24 to Sept. 2. This monthlong initiative invites visitors and locals to immerse themselves in the culture, history an…

Suspect on the run after Addis shooting that killed 1, injured another, police say

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Aug 5, 2024

The suspect in Sunday's deadly Addis shooting is still on the run, Addis Police Chief Jason Langlois said Monday afternoon.

Red, toxic dust from this Louisiana plant has long upset neighbors. A fix is in the works.

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Aug 5, 2024

The plan would cap an estimated 15 million tons of slightly radioactive red mine tailings connected with the plant along the Mississippi River.

New Roads police officer accused of first-degree child rape, Pointe Coupee sheriff says

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Jul 21, 2024

A New Roads police officer has been arrested, accused of first-degree rape of a child, Pointe Coupee Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux said.

A plan to build one of Louisiana's biggest solar farms was rejected. Lawsuits have now been filed.

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Jul 20, 2024

The dispute over the solar farm in St. James Parish highlights part of the difficulty in shifting toward renewable energy to address climate change.

Years before chemical leak, Honeywell was warned about corrosion risks, Louisiana regulators say

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Jul 16, 2024

Honeywell says it did follow-up inspection that found equipment fit, but in need of replacement.

Koch plant expansion along Mississippi River moves ahead after ruling. Some residents are worried.

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Jul 14, 2024

The project is part of the larger debate over economic development, pollution and environmental justice along the Mississippi River.

40k pounds of candles left on I-10 westbound after crash involving multiple 18-wheelers

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Jun 30, 2024

Around 40,000 pounds of candles were scattered across Interstate 10 westbound Sunday morning after a crash involving multiple 18-wheelers, Louisiana State Police said.

Crumbs, pet hair and goo: Student computers get summer love in unseen Louisiana school effort

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Jun 29, 2024

The tools of this summer job were positioned all around recent Ascension Parish high school graduates Kylon Hardin and Gabriel Keller as they worked at a library table: rags, rubbing alcohol, …

Ascension teacher pay raises around the corner, but so is a slight health insurance cost hike

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Jun 28, 2024

In discussion for months, new permanent pay raises for Ascension Parish public school employees will begin to roll out in late July, school officials said.

Louisiana needs to do more to stop mercury emissions from a chemical plant, feds say

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Jun 27, 2024

Ten years ago, the then-owners of a bauxite refinery near Gramercy told the state that their operation had been unwittingly emitting the toxic heavy metal mercury into the air — potentially fo…

Deputies arrest man in armed robbery of Plattenville store in May

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Jun 27, 2024

An Assumption Parish man was arrested Wednesday in the armed robbery of a store in Plattenville last month, sheriff's deputies said.

3 arrested in killing of 16-year-old relative of New Roads mayor, DA says

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
Jun 24, 2024

Three people have been arrested in the May killing of a 16-year-old Zachary High student, District Attorney Tony Clayton confirmed Monday.

Louisiana hardwood forests part of push to combat climate change. Here's how.

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Jun 24, 2024

Cakey Worthington pulled the measuring tape from the spool hanging on her hip and local forestry consultant Ryan Manuel helped her tightly cinch the metal strip around the trunk of a water oak…