ST. MARTINVILLE - A former fifth-grade teacher in St. Martin Parish was arrested for having an alleged inappropriate relationship with a former student. 

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office said the alleged abuse happened when 31-year-old Marisa Noel was still teaching at Teche Elementary School. 

Deputies said the investigation was launched Jan. 28, 2026. Noel was booked for four counts of indecent behavior with juveniles and four counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor. 

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE — Bally's Hotel and Casino celebrated the 1-year anniversary of its downtown Baton Rouge location on Monday. 

The downtown area's first land-based casino was gifted new artwork by local artist Jacob Zumo to commemorate the occasion.

Zumo said the artwork represents what makes the downtown community so special. 

"You'll see everything that makes the city alive, the cathedral, St. Vincent de Paul, Tiger Stadium and the Mississippi Bridge, which aren't just landmarks, they're anchors, places where people gather, believe, celebrate and take care of each other," Zumo said.

The piece will be permanently displayed in the hotel lobby. 

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE — Rep. Cleo Fields hosted a roundtable discussion on proposed education bills on Monday.

The event, held at The Leon R. Tarver II Center, focused on education legislation and its potential impact on families across Louisiana's 6th District.

Fields is introducing the Supporting Teachers Through Tax Fairness Act, which proposes that teachers, instructors, counselors and aides would have $50,000 of their income excluded from federal income tax. Teachers who work where 75% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch would see a $65,000 exclusion. 

Fields is also proposing the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Enhancement, which would cancel student loan debt for teachers who work at least eight consecutive years. Fields said while actively teaching, teachers would have full deferment on the loans and wouldn't have to pay the principal or interest. 

Permalink| Comments

NEW YORK — LSU women's basketball star Flau'Jae Johnson was drafted 8th overall to the Golden State Valkyries on Monday night in the first round of the WNBA Draft before being traded to the Seattle Storm for the Storm's second-round pick in 2028 and forward Marta Suarez, the 16th overall pick. 

Permalink| Comments

PONCHATOULA — Mo's Movement and the Anderson Ray Leto Memorial Foundation held a Storytelling Summit in Ponchatoula at the Rosaryville Public Cemetery on Monday. 

The event featured interviews from the Ponchatoula Chief of police, a detective, family members who lost loved ones to fentanyl and individuals in recovery who are making a positive impact in the community. 

A documentary produced by Texas Pictures focusing on impaired driving, fentanyl poisoning, recovery journeys and the role of law enforcement in combating the fentanyl epidemic was also shown at the event. 

Permalink| Comments

WASHINGTON — Seventy-six Louisiana veterans took a free trip to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials honoring their service.

Honor Flight Louisiana organized the trip, which left early Saturday from Baton Rouge Metro Airport. The group visited the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

On the flight back to Baton Rouge, veterans received handwritten letters and cards from family and friends expressing love and appreciation for their service.

When the plane landed, a large crowd of loved ones and community members gathered at the airport to welcome the veterans home with cheers and celebration.

Sylvia Weatherspoon and photographer Charles Jones were there.

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE - Some Louisiana lawmakers want to use tax breaks to attract billion-dollar aerospace companies to the state.

The push comes after NASA astronauts made a historic trip around the moon powered by rockets built at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility outside New Orleans.

HB 1088, sponsored by State Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prarieville, would make private rocket production and launch companies eligible for tax breaks and protections if they are located in Louisiana.

Susan Bourgeois, secretary of Louisiana Economic Development, said the state has a long history in the aerospace industry.

"Aerospace could be anything from the manufacturer of a rocket, the launch of a rocket, the capture of a rocket," said Bourgeois.

Bourgeois pointed to bills currently before legislators that she said would help attract aerospace companies. The bills are modeled after those of neighboring states, such as Texas and Florida.

"We looked at their statutes, we looked at their public policy to see what they had to win these kinds of projects," said Bourgeois.

Under one bill, companies that spend at least $1 billion and bring in at least 200 full-time jobs would be eligible for rebates on local and state taxes.

In a statement sent to WBRZ, Jan Moller with Invest in Louisiana said providing companies with tax breaks would give away too much revenue for projects that could impact quality of life.

Bourgeois believes that only by providing tax incentives will Louisiana be able to compete with states already leading the way in aerospace production.

Permalink| Comments

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump refused to apologize to Pope Leo XIV on Monday after criticizing the pontiff for his opposition to the war in Iran — and he sought to explain away a now-deleted social media post depicting himself as Jesus by saying he had thought the image was of him as a doctor.

Trump was asked about his comments toward the U.S.-born head of the Catholic Church, as well as the post depicting himself as a healer, in a hastily called question-and-answer session with reporters at the White House.

“He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Pope Leo would not be happy with the end result,” Trump said, adding, “I think he’s very weak on crime and other things so I’m not” going to apologize.

“He went public," the Republican president added. "I’m just responding to Pope Leo.”

That response followed Leo pushing back on Trump’s broadside against him the previous evening, telling reporters that the Vatican’s appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel and that he doesn’t fear the Trump administration.

“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo told The Associated Press aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria. “And I’m sorry to hear that, but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.”

The back-and-forth between the world's two most influential Americans served to deepen a burgeoning schism as the U.S. war in Iran stretched into its seventh week.

History’s first U.S.-born pope stressed that he was not making a direct attack against Trump or anyone else with his general appeal for peace and criticisms of the Iran war and other conflicts around the world.

“I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for," said Leo, who said he had a different perspective on foreign policy than elected officials.

“I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems,” he said.

Trump speaks to his much-criticized social media post
The image posted by the president Sunday night showed Trump wearing a biblical-style robe and laying hands on a bedridden man as light emanates from his fingers — while a soldier, a nurse, a praying woman and a bearded man in a baseball cap all look on admiringly. The sky above is filled with eagles, an American flag and vaporous images.

“I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor and it had to do with the Red Cross,” Trump said. “It’s supposed to me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. A lot better.”

He blamed the “fake news” for any confusion over the image, though it drew criticism from a wide range of people, including some of Trump's own evangelical supporters, who objected to the notion that Trump was likening himself to Christ. Even Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, assailed the “desecration of Jesus" while also speaking up to defend the pope.

The post was deleted from Trump's account late Monday morning. Trump didn't provide details on how that happened.

Trump had charged that Leo is not ‘doing a very good job’
The president criticized the pope in a lengthy social media post while flying back to Washington from Florida on Sunday night. He kept up the denunciation after deplaning, telling reporters, “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo."

Leo said Saturday during an evening prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica that a “delusion of omnipotence” was fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. The comments came the same day that the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire.

The pope had earlier named Trump directly and expressed optimism that the president would seek “an off-ramp” in Iran. An even stronger condemnation came after Trump warned of mass strikes against Iranian power plants and infrastructure, writing on social media that “an entire civilization will die tonight.” Leo described that as a “threat against the entire people of Iran” and said it was “truly unacceptable.”

While it’s not unusual for popes and presidents to be at cross purposes, it’s exceedingly rare for the pope to directly criticize a U.S. leader — and Trump’s stinging response is equally uncommon.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” the president wrote in his post, adding, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon."

Leo's opposition to war irked Trump
Leo, who began an 11-day trip to Africa on Monday, has previously said that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” He's also referred to an Old Testament passage from Isaiah, saying that “even though you make many prayers, I will not listen — your hands are full of blood.”

Still, in his comments on Monday, as in his Sunday night social media post, Trump went far beyond the war in Iran in criticizing Leo.

“I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do." His post also claimed that Leo was only elected pontiff “because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”

“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump wrote, adding, “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!”

In his comments to reporters after stepping off Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said of Leo, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess,” adding, “He’s a very liberal person.”

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, also said he was “disheartened” by Trump’s comments.

“Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician," Coakley said in a statement. “He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE — Students in Baton Rouge were treated to a special event on Monday as they gear up for LEAP testing.

The Get H.Y.P.E. arts-integrated test preparation program visited Wedgewood Elementary and LaBelle Aire Elementary to offer an innovative approach to student preparation. 

The interactive program featured a live saxophonist, an interactive game show, step-dancing and a live DJ. The program also included a dance workshop that taught students, staff and faculty different dance styles. 

The program focused on essential test-taking strategies such as the importance of a good night's sleep, healthy eating habits and reinforcing positive habits. 

Get H.Y.P.E. will continue visiting EBR schools on Tuesday, with visits planned at McKinley Magnet Elementary and Crestworth Elementary. 

Permalink| Comments

BAKER — A scheduled water outage in Baker is planned for Tuesday, April 14, according to officials.

The outage will allow crews to repair a water leak on Cypress Street and in the surrounding areas. 

The outage is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and will temporarily interrupt service on Ray Weiland Drive, West Magnolia Drive, North Magnolia Drive, Center Street, Cypress Drive, North Day Drive, Day Drive and South Street. 

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Works announced a $7 million employer-led initiative designed to help businesses build the skilled workforce needed to support Louisiana's economic expansion.

The Workforce Outcomes and Reimbursement for Key Sectors Training Fund, supported through the U.S. Department of Labor's Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund, focuses on high-demand sectors including construction and industrial trades, advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure occupations.

“This is about helping employers solve real workforce challenges, right now,” Louisiana Works Secretary Susana Schowen said. “We’re aligning training directly with business demand and making sure it leads to jobs, retention, and long-term success for workers.”

The fund also partners with the Louisiana Construction Education Foundation, whose employer-led board will work alongside Louisiana Works to ensure training investments are aligned with industry needs. 

Through the new training fund, employers will be able to train new hires and upskill current employees, expand work-based learning models and receive outcomes-based reimbursement. Employers also have the opportunity to receive up to $1,500 per employee trained and up to $150,000 per employer.

Louisiana is one of the 14 states selected to receive funding. Applications open on Wednesday, April 15.

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE - A man who was arrested for allegedly killing a Baton Rouge Police sergeant is attempting to represent himself in court. 

In a hearing Monday, Gad Black said he wished to represent himself. Black was arrested after allegedly hitting BRPD Sgt. Caleb Eisworth with his vehicle on June 16, 2025. The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office documents said the attack was targeted, and Black had a "deep-rooted hatred for law enforcement personnel." Sgt. Eisworth died in August, and Black's charge was upgraded to first-degree murder.

Black has been in the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail since his arrest. Judge Nicole Robinson ordered that he be held without bond and ordered a sanity commission, which in December found him competent to assist his counsel. 

Black's request to represent himself happened during a hearing to discuss whether or not an interrogation that happened when he was taken into custody could be used in court. Public defenders for Black filed a motion to suppress an interrogation where Black allegedly said, "I need a lawyer present. I don't really need to talk about no case," but law enforcement continued to question him. According to court minutes, the state agreed not to use the interrogation as evidence in the trial. 

Whether or not Black can represent himself has not been decided and will be discussed again on May 21. 

Permalink| Comments

PINE PRAIRIE — A Chicago man was arrested for allegedly killing an endangered whooping crane in Evangeline Parish, the second crane killed there in recent months. 

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said that on March 19, biologists reported a lost signal on a whooping crane's tracking collar.

They went to the crane's last known location, a crawfish farm along Highway 106 between Bayou Chicot and Pine Prairie, where they found its body with shotgun wounds. While executing a search warrant, agents found a spent shotgun shell casing at the farm. 

LDWF said that during its investigation, Michael Alaniz, 49, called the department and admitted to shooting the crane on March 17. 

This is the second whooping crane shot and killed in Evangeline Parish this year, LDWF says, with the first being shot on Feb. 28 at a crawfish pond off Millers Lake Road. Agents cited 36-year-old Logan Q. Thrasher, of St. Landry, and 33-year-old Manuel Luis, of Zacapu, Michoacán, Mexico, for that crane's death.

The two cranes made up 2.5 percent of Louisiana's non-migratory whooping crane population. There are now just 80 left. 

Shooting a whooping crane violates the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and is punishable by a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. 

LDWF said Alaniz will also be fined up to $15,000 for the replacement value of the endangered bird. 

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE - Most of you know who have read Spare Notes here and the many years of my former column in the daily publication.

The singles stepladder competition for the state title is my favorite part of the three days of LHSAA championships in the sport. 

And maybe, I was a little more excited when the six qualifiers for the girl’s stepladder were announced because I knew five had more than a little chance to walk away with the gold medal. If the right circumstances were there, all six could have walked away with it.

I also saw something I have to admit I liked very much. There was a very good chance the winner would be a Baton Rouge area bowler.

First Parker Blanchard of St Michael the Archangel showed her stuff with a 221 game in the 4-5-6 first match, before part of that strong contingent of team champion Archbishop Chapelle, Addison Belle, found the way to get through the semifinal match despite a couple of missed 10 pins.

But waiting was one of the stars of the St. Joseph’s Academy team that advanced to the semifinals in top qualifier Ava Doucet. She won top seed honors with a four-game total of 893 and in the final match she used five strikes in a row to get out to a big enough advantage before a pocket 7-10 stopped her progress for a moment. She finished with the title and a 222.

The UAB signee was not quite done yet as she came back over the weekend and won the renamed Louisiana Scratch Championship U18 girls division at Four Seasons.

On the boy’s side, the first two matches were tight but I felt if anyone could run the stepladder, sixth and final qualifier Beckham Lieu of Division II champ Patrick Taylor, would be the one. Lieu bowled 244-236 and then a 215 in the championship match to win. The first two matches put him in pressure shots to win matches, but he delivered each possible opportunity.

Let me also credit third qualifier Dominick Emory of Benton High in Northwest Louisiana. I know I have been critical the last few years with how highly some of the Northwest Louisiana teams have been seeded and unable to either on paper or on lanes deliver. But it is great to see a bowler like Emory get through a decorated field of bowlers to make the semifinal round of the stepladder.

Regarding the team competition, it was another year of watching the New Orleans area teams win and dominate. The St. Amant girls’ team was the only team to get to the final match from outside the New Orleans area in any boys or girls’ bracket.

Patrick Taylor knocked off two-time champion Shaw in Division II (4A & below) with six starters averaging over 200. I just don’t know a Baton Rouge team that can compete with that at present without a lot of help from PT in not bowling well. The Chipmunks in girls are extremely young and even started an eighth grader. Two championships down, they are already the heavy favorites for next year and the route to equaling Denham Springs four straight girls’ championships (2005-08) appears to be available for Chappelle to achieve.

Then there is Brother Martin. They probably didn’t bowl their best, but it’s a ninth championship in 11 years for the Crusaders and they just show up with a confidence and a swagger that seems to be worth a few strikes and spares before the competition even starts. Their crowd has proven to be able to push them forward a bit as well.

I know this will not make local people happy but right now New Orleans teams own the three divisions and where is a city of Baton Rouge potential team champion going to come from?

We’ve had the good state title runs of the Dutchtown and Denham Springs girls in the three years between the 2021 and 2025-2026 championships of Chapelle, but the closest a Baton Rouge city team came this year was the amazing 14-0 run of first-year team Episcopal. Gregory Snee should get a coach of the year nod for what he did. Unfortunately, PT was way too much in the semifinals, but it was a heck of a year and hopefully he can find another group to inch closer.

Give a lot of credit to St. Joseph’s Academy coach Garth Ridge on the girls’ side, getting that team to the semis with just one loss in the first match by one pin to state finalist St. Amant. I watched some of their preseason work on nights before our league bowled and he did an amazing job developing a group of new and young players to a state semifinals spot.

I also have some thoughts on the brackets and the power rankings that we’ll talk about next week.

A Final Note

The PBA finally returns to Bayside Bowl in Maine on Sunday for the Roth/Holman doubles event. This should be a lot of fun with the crazy, but knowledgeable fans at Bayside Bowl. It will air at 4 p.m. on Sunday on The CW.

Back with you next Monday.

Thanks for checking out this week’s Spare Notes, 

                                      Kent Lowe

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE — A new Books-A-Million is planned to come to Siegen Marketplace, according to commercial permits. 

The new bookstore will be located on South Mall Drive, where Joann Fabric and Crafts previously operated. 

A Books-A-Million located in the Towne Center shopping center shut down in 2018.

Permalink| Comments

The steady weather pattern continues with only a subtle rise in heat, sending highs closer to 90° by late week. Some improvement in temperatures will come over the weekend with the arrival of another cold front.

Tonight & Tomorrow: As skies clear out, temperatures will quickly fall through the 70s during the evening. This will set up a comfortably mild morning in the low to mid-60s. Patchy fog or low clouds may develop around daybreak, particularly near river basins and areas north of I-12. That would quickly burn off after sunrise. The rest of Tuesday looks partly sunny and warm with highs in the mid-80s.

Up Next: The toasty pattern, along with limited rain chances, will hold at least through Saturday. Temperatures will climb into the upper 80s by the end of the week, with a few neighborhoods possibly tagging 90° on occasion. Should Baton Rouge hit 90°, that would be a little more than three weeks ahead of schedule. With numerous outdoor events over the weekend, such as the Blues Festival, French Quarter Fest, and LSU Baseball, make sure hydration becomes a part of the routine. Sunscreen will also be important. Mid-April sun packs the same punch as mid-August sunlight, resulting in burns in as little as 20-30 minutes in direct sunlight.

The warm pattern will finally budge late Saturday and into Sunday as another cold front arrives. It may kick up a handful of showers in the process, but not enough to cause a washout. Although rain totals look insignificant this time, the frontal passage will briefly knock temperatures down on Sunday.

Get the latest 7-day forecast and real-time weather updates HERE.

Watch live news HERE.

— Meteorologist Malcolm Byron

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and X for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

Permalink| Comments

ST. FRANCISVILLE — The WBRZ Investigative Unit questioned a former St. Francisville Police officer charged in connection with a 2022 overdose death as he walked out of jail Monday. 

WBRZ's Bess Casserleigh asked Richard Parsons Jr. if he killed Renee Hinze, a woman who died on March 7, 2022. She also asked if there was anything he'd like to say to her family or in his defense. He declined to answer, staying silent as he got into a vehicle and left. 

Sources previously told the WBRZ Investigative Unit that Parsons was with Hinze days before she died. Her body was found in a bathtub at a St. Francisville hotel, with her death originally being investigated as an accidental overdose. 

Prior to her death, Hinze was allegedly riding around in Parsons' marked police unit, a violation of St. Francisville Police Department policy. Following the incident, Parsons was arrested in August 2025 for malfeasance in office before being formally charged with negligent homicide. 

On Monday, Parsons turned himself in to the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office for negligent homicide and was released on a $150,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for May.

Permalink| Comments

BATON ROUGE — A Baton Rouge man was arrested Sunday for allegedly shooting at a family gathering on Sycamore Street. 

According to arrest records, on March 28, Baton Rouge Police officers were dispatched to a shooting on Sycamore Street, where they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to his right thigh. 

A victim told detectives that 25-year-old Zachariah Smith drove past his home and fired shots at his family, who was gathered in front of the residence, documents show. The victim told police that he shot back at Smith. 

Another victim, a woman, told police Smith had sent her death threats the day before the shooting, according to arrest documents. 

Smith was arrested and booked on charges of attempted first-degree murder, domestic abuse aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a person convicted of domestic abuse and illegal use of weapons. 

He was previously convicted of aggravated assault with a firearm in 2022 and domestic abuse battery in 2025. 

Another shooting on Sycamore Street on April 8 claimed the life of 19-year-old Montrell Nover. Police have yet to identify a suspect. 

Permalink| Comments

PORT ALLEN — A former West Baton Rouge deputy fire chief and his previous supervisors reached an agreement Monday after he claimed he was wrongfully fired, but whether he gets his job back or a significant amount of severance pay won't be announced until next week at the earliest.

The parish fire civil service board had said James Hartley was terminated in January for violating sick leave policies, but without specifying how he violated them. Hartley and his attorney appealed the termination later that month.

"He did not engage in the misconduct that was asserted against him, and it seems to us, based on our preliminary investigation, that Mr. Hartley may not have actually been terminated by any lawful appointing authority of Fire District 1," Hartley's attorney, Kevin Vogeltanz, said in February. 

Some of Hartley's colleagues believed then that he was fired for speaking out against the parish fire chief role being converted to a part-time position. The parish said it was not making an example out of Hartley.

Hartley's appeal was heard Monday. The district board and Hartley said they had reached an agreement to end his civil service appeal but details must be approved by the Fire District Board of Commissioners before they are disclosed. Its next meeting is April 23.

The Civil Service Board, which had been asked to reinstate Hartley, dismissed the appeal conditionally. If an agreement isn't ratified within 90 days, either side can restart negotiations, it said.

Part of Hartley's argument was that only a fire chief can fire subordinates, and that the parish didn't formally have one at the time he was released.

Permalink| Comments

GEORGETOWN — A Silver Alert was canceled Monday after a 78-year-old Grant Parish woman went missing, but was found safe hours later. 

Louisiana State Police says the woman was discovered missing around 9:59 a.m., with troopers receiving a request to issue the alert at 11:56 a.m. 

Just before 2 p.m., LSP announced she had been found safe.

Permalink| Comments