While isolated storms remain possible on Thursday, they'll become more sparse into the weekend. Rain won’t threaten many outdoor plans, but be prepared to break a sweat.

Tonight & Tomorrow: Any afternoon thunderstorms that managed to pop up will gradually fade away during the evening. Though a rogue overnight shower, mainly north and east of Baton Rouge, isn’t totally off the table, most will stay completely dry. Expect a partly cloudy start to the day with morning lows in the mid-70s. Extra sunshine on Thursday means afternoon temperatures will climb even higher. Baton Rouge will top out around 93°, but unrelenting humidity will make it feel about 10° hotter at peak warming. An isolated shower or thunderstorm cannot be ruled out in the heat of the day. Any storm could produce gusty winds and/or a quick downpour.

Up Next: Moving toward and into the weekend, a ridge of high pressure in the upper atmosphere will intensify over the central Gulf Coast. Comprised of warm, sinking air, ridges tend to fight against thunderstorm development while boosting air temperatures. Afternoon highs will soar into the mid-90s by the weekend, combining with summer humidity to create heat index values in the 105-110° range. Should the heat index top 108°, that would trigger a Heat Advisory. In any event, exercise common sense to beat the heat by hydrating more and taking breaks from time to time.

Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke as well. If you start noticing signs of heat exhaustion, move inside to an air-conditioned room immediately. Heatstroke, on the other hand, is a medical emergency that requires calling 911 right away.

By Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, that ridge will shift north, opening the door for an atmospheric disturbance to arrive out of the east. This will allow for the return of rain-cooling showers, which may help take the sting out of the afternoon heat.

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

Watch live news HERE.

The Tropics: For the North Atlantic, Gulf, and Caribbean, all is quiet. No development is expected over the next seven days. In fact, the first major Saharan dust plume will track across the Atlantic over the next week, helping to limit the chances of tropical development. Some of that dust could reach the Capital Area early next week, creating hazy daytime skies before scattering the light rays to produce more vivid, fiery-orange sunrises and sunsets.

— 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.

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BATON ROUGE — Former LSU football head coach Brian Kelly will call college football games for CBS in the 2026-2027 season, according to a report by On3. 

Kelly, now a CBS college football analyst, will be on the broadcast for Mountain West Conference games, the report says. 

LSU hired Kelly in 2021 as the successor to Ed Orgeron. He was fired in October last year after the Tigers were blown out in Death Valley by Texas A&M, his team's third loss of the season. 

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BATON ROUGE — District Attorney Hillar Moore said that, as required by a court order, several local city governments will be added as parties to its lawsuit that seeks more funding for the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office. 

In April, the DA's Office filed suit against the city-parish government over what Moore called inadequate funding for his office. 

In a Wednesday hearing, a judge ruled that local municipalities in East Baton Rouge Parish, including Baton Rouge, Zachary, Central and St. George, must be added to the lawsuit. 

"It is important to be clear: this was a ruling of the Court. Our Office did not initially name the municipalities, and we have not sought to make this a dispute with our local mayors or city governments," Moore said in a statement. 

The DA said he personally contacted each municipality's mayor about the court's ruling and to make clear that his office remains committed to working together with each of them. 

"Whether a case comes from Baton Rouge, Baker, Zachary, Central, St. George, or an unincorporated area, our responsibility is the same. Public safety does not stop at municipal boundaries, and neither does our commitment to the people we serve," Moore said. 

Last year, voters rejected a tax proposal that would have raised about $22 million annually for his office. Moore said that failure left him with no choice but to seek funding through the courts, arguing the money is required by law.

City-parish leaders said they have already increased funding, but must balance multiple priorities across the criminal justice system.

"Our goal is not conflict," Moore said.

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BATON ROUGE — The runway at the Baton Rouge airport is shut down after an airplane with landing gear issues came in.

Officials describe the plane as a small, general aviation aircraft.  

No injuries were reported, and efforts are focused on assessing the situation.

The runway remains closed, with no planes taking off or landing at this time.

According to the airport's website, so far one incoming flight from Atlanta has been diverted, and another flight from Atlanta and Houston have been delayed.

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BATON ROUGE — A former LSU and NFL running back plans to turn himself in on vehicular homicide charges stemming from a Baton Rouge crash that killed two people and sent two others to the hospital in critical condition, sources told the WBRZ Investigative Unit.

Sources said Wednesday that a warrant was being written for the arrest of Richard Murphy.

He was allegedly involved in a June 14 wreck along Main Street that killed Robert Tarver, 94, and Carla Tarver, 69. Murphy was allegedly driving a Ford F-250 and crashed into the Tarvers' Ford F-150. Witnesses said the F-250 was driving erratically at a high rate of speed before running a red light and striking the passenger side of the F-150.

Sources told WBRZ that Murphy was allegedly intoxicated at the time of the crash. 

Murphy will face two counts of vehicular homicide and will turn himself in by the end of June, according to sources. 

In 2010, his senior year at LSU, Murphy played in 11 games and started in two of them. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2011 but released him before the 2012 season. They signed him back onto the practice squad in October of that year before releasing him for the final time in May 2013. 

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BATON ROUGE - Three LSU Tigers have earned top-10 positional rankings in EA Sports College Football 27, highlighting the star power expected to lead the Tigers into the 2026 season.

Tight end Trey'Dez Green received the highest ranking among LSU players, checking in as the No. 1 tight end in the game. The former Zachary standout is coming off a breakout 2025 campaign in which he established himself as one of the SEC's most dangerous red-zone threats and a rising NFL prospect. 

LSU transfer Jordan Seaton was rated as the fourth-best left tackle in College Football 27. The former five-star recruit arrived in Baton Rouge after two standout seasons at Colorado, where he earned Freshman All-American honors and later Second-Team All-Big 12 recognition.

Quarterback Sam Leavitt landed eighth among all quarterbacks in the game. Leavitt transferred to LSU after emerging as one of college football's top signal-callers and was regarded as the nation's top quarterback available in the transfer portal by On3. 

Tigers in the top-10 for their position in this year’s college football game ?? pic.twitter.com/zHpbxLKLtT

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) June 24, 2026

EA Sports College Football 27 releases worldwide on July 9, with early access beginning July 6 for players who purchase the Deluxe Edition.

The annual franchise returned in 2024 after an 11-year hiatus and quickly became one of the best-selling sports video games in the country. 

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BATON ROUGE — Gov. Landry's plan to provide a one-time pay stipend to teachers by taking money from the state's Minimum Foundation Program passed a vote in both houses of the Louisiana Legislature on Wednesday, despite ongoing legal action against it. 

As previously reported by WBRZ, the proposal would take $168 million from the MFP, and the money would be used to fund a $2,000 stipend for 51,000 public school teachers and $1,000 for the 40,000 support staff across Louisiana. 

After the pay raises failed in a statewide vote, Landry announced the creation of a government task force with the goal of streamlining the state's education spending and freeing up funding for a teacher pay raise. 

A week later, the governor issued an executive order directing state education agencies to work to reallocate non-instructional funding into teacher pay raises, an order he said goes hand-in-hand with the creation of the task force. 

However, despite the lawmakers' approval, the raises and reallocation of funding remain in limbo.

On June 18, 19th JDC Judge Richard "Chip" Moore issued a temporary restraining order against the state in a lawsuit that alleges Landry's executive order was unconstitutional.   A hearing for that lawsuit is set for June 29. 

See the results of Wednesday's vote below.

House:

Senate:

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NAPOLEONVILLE – Assumption Parish deputies have arrested a New Orleans man on felony terrorizing and cyberstalking charges.

Deputies began investigating 34-year-old Bruce Anthony Charles on June 16 after receiving a complaint from a woman who said Charles had threatened her. 

Charles and the victim had previously been in a relationship together, deputies noted, and Charles' threats were to the woman, her child and her fiancé. 

Deputies added that Charles has a history of violence. 

Deputies arrested Charles on Tuesday and booked him into the Assumption Parish Detention Center on two counts of terrorizing, as well as one count each of cyberstalking and harassment via telephone communications. 

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COVINGTON — St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith says he is retiring on Wednesday after pleading guilty to battery charges connected to a drunken altercation at a Madisonville steakhouse in May.

Smith, who took office in July 2016, was arrested on June 4 after he was accused of choking, punching, and kicking Robert Couvillon at Keith Young's Steakhouse on May 29. The victim sustained a concussion and dental injuries as a result of the fight.

Gregory Saurage was also arrested as a participant in the alleged attack.

Now, on Wednesday, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree battery and two counts of disturbing the peace. The sheriff said he would retire at 1 p.m. 

"After much thought and consideration, I believe retiring at this time is in the best interest of the agency, my family, and the citizens of St. Tammany Parish. Effective immediately, Deputy Chief Bret Ibert is promoted to Chief Criminal Deputy, Chief Civil Deputy and Second in Command," Smith said in a statement. "In accordance with state law and agency protocol, Chief Deputy Ibert will serve as Interim Sheriff until a new Sheriff is elected."

St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Collin Sims said the sheriff received a two-year suspended prison sentence and was placed on probation.

Smith must complete a 15- to 18-month program as part of his plea. Until he completes this program, the sheriff is a convicted felon. If he completes the program and meets all conditions of his probation, the felony conviction could be reduced to a misdemeanor, Sims said.

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CENTRAL - Pastor Tony Spell addressed the media Wednesday, saying threats from his neighbor compelled him to run across a four-lane highway and attack the man. 

Spell, the main pastor of Life Tabernacle Church on Hooper Road, said he was working on a church bus when he heard the neighbor's son yelling from outside their home across the road. 

"He said, 'Tony, I'm gonna rape your wife, I'm gonna rape all of your grandchildren,' and he said, 'The next time you go out of town, I'm gonna kill them, and what the F are you going to do about it?" Spell said. 

The pastor said that as the "natural protector" of his family and church, it was his job to take action. 

"I have a duty and obligation to do what I did," Spell said. 

WBRZ spoke with the neighbors, the Sherwins, who said that Spell's claims are not true and connected to the recent end of a legal battle that started after Spell was arrested for disregarding Coronavirus mandates and holding church services while stay-at-home orders were in effect. 

"This pastor is a bully who gets mad when he does not get his way," the Sherwins said. 

Spell was alongside his attorney, Jeff Wittenbrink, and backed by church members who stood behind him during Wednesday's press conference. He claims that parishioners are also victims and have been shouted at by the church's neighbors.

"As a shepherd, I have not allowed the sheep to attack the wolves for what was said to them," Spell said. 

Wittenbrink said that members of the church have made many complaints about the Sherwins to the Central Police Department, which he claimed was working in conjunction with the neighboring family against Spell and the church. 

"The Central city police are friends with these folks across the street," he said. "When Pastor Spell was being surveilled 24/7, it was with the help of the man across the street." 

Wittenbrink said the neighbors have an extensive home security system, including "a large, industrial-scale camera that could see from across the street all the way into the pulpit."

The Sherwins said their cameras are the reason they were added to Spell's lawsuit against former Governor John Bel Edwards, Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran and East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux. 

Spell was issued six misdemeanor summonses by Central Police officers in 2020 when he continued holding church services while COVID cases across the state were rising.

Court documents show that in the same year, he was arrested for aggravated assault for allegedly trying to hit a protester outside of Life Tabernacle Church with the church's bus. His neighbors' cameras recorded the ordeal, which is why he added the Sherwins to the lawsuit in 2023. 

The Sherwins' cameras captured Tuesday's altercation. WBRZ obtained a clearer and closer view of the fight. During the video, Spell can be heard screaming what sounds like, “I’m going to break your neck!"

The pastor can also be seen on top of the 20-year-old alleged victim and turning his head aggressively. 

Spell was arrested by East Baton Rouge Sheriff's deputies and booked for second-degree battery. He bonded out of East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Tuesday evening. 

Watch the full news conference here: 

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BATON ROUGE — A juvenile court judge found a 17-year-old guilty of attempted murder after a shooting on LSU's campus during the university's homecoming game left two people injured. 

Kyiveon Keller, who was 16 at the time of the October 2025 shooting, on Tuesday was found guilty of two counts of attempted second-degree murder, as well as one count each of illegal carrying of a firearm on school property and illegal possession of a firearm by a juvenile.

"This was a difficult case with many evidentiary issues," a spokesperson for the 19th JDC said.

Keller was arrested after the shooting, which stemmed from an altercation that happened during the LSU-South Carolina football game. Following the shooting, local and state police tightened security on campus during game days

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BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Attorney General's office has hired a London-based accounting firm as it continues its investigation into alleged corruption among Baton Rouge government officials, including bribery and theft charges against councilman Cleve Dunn.

The AG's office has entered into a $150,000 contract with Ernst and Young, and the firm will help probe funding sources, contracts and relationships within the public sector. 

The contract went into effect at the end of March and remains active through the end of the year, with the primary focus of Ernst and Young's work with the AG's office being on public officials who have not yet been indicted in the corruption investigation. 

The full contract can be viewed here.

The AG's office did not provide a comment on the partnership with the firm. 

Several people have been indicted in connection with the AG's corruption probe, including Capital Area Transit System Chief Administrative Officer Pearlina Thomas and contractor Jay Colar, who were both implicated in an alleged scheme with Dunn. Documents say Thomas introduced Colar to Dunn, who awarded contracts to Colar's company. Dunn allegedly made more than $30,000 in kickbacks.

Two more city-parish arrests were made: Courtney Scott, a former administrator for Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, and Veronica Mathis, whose company assisted Broome's "Safe Hopeful Healthy Baton Rouge" program. They were booked on charges including conspiracy, theft, bribery, money laundering and public contract fraud.

 

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NEW ORLEANS — Planned Parenthood is returning to Louisiana, nearly one year after the reproductive health clinic ceased operations in the state due to a lack of federal funding. 

Planned Parenthood Great Plains announced Wednesday that it would expand its telehealth services into Louisiana later this summer, with in-person care in New Orleans expected to open in the fall.

The group said that its services will include contraception, STI testing and treatment, gender-affirming care, pregnancy testing, perimenopause and menopause care, vasectomies, cancer screenings and other preventive health services. The clinic will not offer abortion care, a service the previous clinics did not offer either.

Louisiana will join Arkansas, Kansas, western Missouri, and Oklahoma as part of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains network of 13 health centers. Care in Louisiana will be provided by Planned Parenthood of Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma, Planned Parenthood Great Plains said. 

Louisiana's Planned Parenthood clinics were previously operated for more than 40 years by Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast.

"Patients and community supporters have made clear they want Planned Parenthood back in Louisiana. We’re committed to ensuring care returns quickly and that this next phase builds on the decades of Planned Parenthood history here," Emily Wales, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement. "We saw the impact that disruptions in access had on patients in Louisiana, and we know the deep disparities that exist in the health care landscape. In close collaboration with local partners, we knew we could be part of reshaping a future where all Louisianians can access essential sexual and reproductive care, no matter what."

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BATON ROUGE — A man was taken to the hospital after a late-night shooting along Winbourne Avenue, officials said.

The shooting, which happened around 11 p.m. on Tuesday near the corner of Winbourne and Eaton Street, left one man injured.

He was then hospitalized in stable condition, officials added. 

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PRAIRIEVILLE — Henry Road in Prairieville will be closed for at least a day starting Wednesday morning as crews work to replace a now-deteriorated culvert.

The culvert must be replaced to ensure continued drainage and roadway reliability, officials said of the closure. 

Portable message boards have been placed near the roadway to notify drivers of the closure, which starts at 8:30 a.m.

"Drivers are encouraged to plan alternate routes and use caution when traveling near the work zone," Ascension Parish officials said. 

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We are looking at isolated showers and thunderstorms developing across the area, especially by this afternoon. Rain coverage will tick down after today, kicking off an extended stretch of consistently hot and mainly dry conditions.

Today & Tonight: We can expect plenty of morning sunshine on Wednesday, which will quickly drive our afternoon highs into the lower 90s. By late afternoon, our attention shifts to the northwest, where a cluster of thunderstorms is expected to develop and push toward the Capital Area. The main forecasting question is how well this activity will hold together as it moves southeastward. While neighborhoods north and east of Baton Rouge run the highest risk of being clipped, anyone along and north of the I-10 corridor should stay weather-aware. Should these storms hold their strength, they will be capable of producing localized gusty winds and brief, heavy downpours. Overnight, a spotty storm or two cannot be ruled out, with lows settling in the mid-70s.

Use the slider to advance through the next 24 hours of Futurecast

Up Next: A ridge of high pressure will tighten its grip over the region through the end of the week into the weekend. This atmospheric setup triggers large-scale subsidence—sinking air that effectively caps the atmosphere and suppresses most thunderstorm development. Consequently, rain coverage drops to 20% Thursday, and 10% Friday, limited to highly localized, short-lived afternoon pop-ups.

The dominant weather story transitions entirely to extreme heat. Ambient temperatures will climb well into the mid-90s, but when coupled with our Gulf moisture, peak afternoon heat indices are modeled to reach a dangerous 108 to 112 degrees. Drink plenty of water, minimize outdoor exertion during peak heating, and utilize air-conditioned spaces to prevent heat-related illness.

Looking further out into next week, long-range guidance indicates the season's first significant plume of Saharan dust migrating across the Atlantic toward the Gulf Coast. This incredibly dry, stable air mass serves as a hostile environment for tropical systems, effectively choking off the deep moisture needed for tropical formation. Beyond its suppressing effect on tropical activity, the dust particles will introduce a distinct daytime haze while setting up the atmospheric conditions for highly vibrant, orange sunsets.

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

Watch live news HERE.

The Tropics: For the North Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean, all is quiet. No development is expected over the next seven days.

– Balin 

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.

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Welcome to your Team 2 Traffic morning commute guide. This story will be updated as traffic occurs in and around the capital area to help you know what to expect on the roads each day.

The main Plaquemine ferry is in service 4:30am- 7:45pm. A second ferry runs from 5:15- 9am and 3:15- 7pm

7:05a: Accident in East Baton Rouge on Old Hammond Hwy WB at Millerville Rd; CLEARED

5:45a: Accident. Right shoulder blocked in Baton Rouge on I-12 WB at Sherwood Forest Blvd/Exit 4, stop and go traffic back to Range Ave/Hwy 3002/Denham Springs/Exit 10; CLEARED

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BATON ROUGE — Dozens of people gathered outside the Super One on Coursey Boulevard for a $25 gift card as part of a community food event.

The event was organized around the "Healthy Food, Healthy Community" initiative, which works to fight food insecurity in Baton Rouge. Representatives also offered resources to help people enroll in Medicaid.

According to Feeding Louisiana, more than 16 percent of residents in East Baton Rouge struggle to put food on the table.

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BATON ROUGE — A new exhibit called "We the People" has been unveiled at the Capitol Park Museum.

The display uses nearly 200 photographs to show what life in America looks like in the 21 century, featuring everything from farm life to city streets.

The photos were taken across the country and several of them include American flag-themed objects.

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BATON ROUGE — More than 100 students graduated from a skilled trades program at Baton Rouge Community College in the Magnolia Theatre.

The students completed the North Baton Rouge Industrial Training Initiative, a tuition-free program that prepares graduates for work in fields including electrical, pipe fitting and welding.

Each student received a certificate to help them get hired in high-demand jobs.

BRCC launched the program in 2012 in partnership with ExxonMobil.

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