BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A House committee Tuesday killed a plan that would have allowed any registered Louisiana voter to request an absentee ballot.Under current law, voters must explain why they will not be able to vote in person when they apply to vote by mail. The Secretary of State can deny requests that do not demonstrate a state-approved need to vote absentee.Generally, absentee ballots are approved for senior citizens, students, ministers, people who are hospitalized, and people who have moved. Find the current requirements Under New Orleans Rep. Mandie Landry’s failed measure,...…BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A House committee Tuesday killed a plan that would have allowed any registered Louisiana voter to request an absentee ballot.Under current law, voters must explain why they will not be able to vote in person when they apply to vote by mail. The Secretary of State can deny requests that do not demonstrate a state-approved need to vote absentee.Generally, absentee ballots are approved for senior citizens, students, ministers, people who are hospitalized, and people who have moved. Find the current requirements Under New Orleans Rep. Mandie Landry’s failed measure,...WW…

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - WAFB experienced an intrusion into its system that sends out “push alerts” Monday afternoon.The issue was quickly resolved and did not affect our website.We apologize for the erroneous alerts that might have been sent to your phone and ask that you not click on those particular alerts. to report a typo.Copyright 2020 WAFB. All rights reserved.…BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - WAFB experienced an intrusion into its system that sends out “push alerts” Monday afternoon.The issue was quickly resolved and did not affect our website.We apologize for the erroneous alerts that might have been sent to your phone and ask that you not click on those particular alerts. to report a typo.Copyright 2020 WAFB. All rights reserved.WW…

CENTRAL, La. (WAFB) - Pastor Tony Spell says Judge Roy Moore has been hired to represent his church and defend him against criminal charges.Moore will hold a press conference at noon on Thursday, April 2.Spell has continually defied orders by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards by holding large gatherings at his church during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. for violating those orders. Spell has had since the order was issued.Many of the services have had several hundred people in attendance.The governor has banned gatherings of more than ten people during the outbreak.PREVIOUS STORY:...…CENTRAL, La. (WAFB) - Pastor Tony Spell says Judge Roy Moore has been hired to represent his church and defend him against criminal charges.Moore will hold a press conference at noon on Thursday, April 2.Spell has continually defied orders by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards by holding large gatherings at his church during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. for violating those orders. Spell has had since the order was issued.Many of the services have had several hundred people in attendance.The governor has banned gatherings of more than ten people during the outbreak.PREVIOUS STORY:...WW…

CENTRAL, La. (WAFB) - The pastor of a church in Central, La. will be charged with six misdemeanor counts of disobeying the powers of the governor, prosecutors said Tuesday.On Tuesday, March 31, Chief Roger Corcoran with Central Police Department issued Mark Anthony Spell, (Aka: Tony Spell), pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, a misdemeanor summons for six counts of violating the governor’s executive order (LA R.S. 29:724E) following his decision to host multiple large gatherings.“Over the last two weeks I have worked with the sheriff, state police, the state fire marshal, Reverend...…CENTRAL, La. (WAFB) - The pastor of a church in Central, La. will be charged with six misdemeanor counts of disobeying the powers of the governor, prosecutors said Tuesday.On Tuesday, March 31, Chief Roger Corcoran with Central Police Department issued Mark Anthony Spell, (Aka: Tony Spell), pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, a misdemeanor summons for six counts of violating the governor’s executive order (LA R.S. 29:724E) following his decision to host multiple large gatherings.“Over the last two weeks I have worked with the sheriff, state police, the state fire marshal, Reverend...WW…

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Louisiana Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy joined over 20 Republican lawmakers in requesting a meeting with President Joe Biden.The senators wrote a letter to the president voicing their concerns about the administration’s recent executive orders halting new oil and gas drilling.“As Senators from states where the energy and resource development sectors have provided good-paying jobs for generations . . . we have been surprised by your immediate actions upon taking office that have targeted hundreds of thousands of these jobs in our states and which run counter to...…NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Louisiana Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy joined over 20 Republican lawmakers in requesting a meeting with President Joe Biden.The senators wrote a letter to the president voicing their concerns about the administration’s recent executive orders halting new oil and gas drilling.“As Senators from states where the energy and resource development sectors have provided good-paying jobs for generations . . . we have been surprised by your immediate actions upon taking office that have targeted hundreds of thousands of these jobs in our states and which run counter to...WW…

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - United States Senator Bill Cassidy is facing criticism from the Republican Party for voting to continue the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.Cassidy was one of six Republicans to vote with Democrats in the senate that the trial is constitutional.The , which was unanimously adopted on Wed., Feb. 10, by the East Baton Rouge Republican Party says Cassidy’s vote “to allow the impeachment fiasco to continue was a betrayal of the people of Louisiana and a rebuke to those who supported President Trump and him.”“We condemn Senator Cassidy’s actions in...…NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - United States Senator Bill Cassidy is facing criticism from the Republican Party for voting to continue the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.Cassidy was one of six Republicans to vote with Democrats in the senate that the trial is constitutional.The , which was unanimously adopted on Wed., Feb. 10, by the East Baton Rouge Republican Party says Cassidy’s vote “to allow the impeachment fiasco to continue was a betrayal of the people of Louisiana and a rebuke to those who supported President Trump and him.”“We condemn Senator Cassidy’s actions in...WW…

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A federal court judge will hear the final arguments at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9 that challenge Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s proposed emergency election plan for the state’s Nov. 3 and Dec. 5 elections.A committee previously approved Ardoin’s , which Governor John Bel Edwards has refused to sign, calling it “woefully inadequate.”The judge’s ruling will either institute an emergency plan for Louisiana’s fall elections or the elections to continue without certain safety precautions.Plaintiffs in the case include the Plaintiffs Power Coalition for...…BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A federal court judge will hear the final arguments at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9 that challenge Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s proposed emergency election plan for the state’s Nov. 3 and Dec. 5 elections.A committee previously approved Ardoin’s , which Governor John Bel Edwards has refused to sign, calling it “woefully inadequate.”The judge’s ruling will either institute an emergency plan for Louisiana’s fall elections or the elections to continue without certain safety precautions.Plaintiffs in the case include the Plaintiffs Power Coalition for...WW…

(WAFB) - Data released by the Louisiana Department of Health shows a fourth death has been linked to an outbreak of hepatitis A first declared in 2018.Other data released on a web page updated frequently by the state health department shows the number of infections linked to that outbreak is at 1,128 cases as of Aug. 14.East Baton Rouge, Ouachita, and Livingston parishes have been linked to the most number of cases. Each report between 121 and 240 cases.WHAT IS HEPATITIS A?Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is a vaccine-preventable illness...…(WAFB) - Data released by the Louisiana Department of Health shows a fourth death has been linked to an outbreak of hepatitis A first declared in 2018.Other data released on a web page updated frequently by the state health department shows the number of infections linked to that outbreak is at 1,128 cases as of Aug. 14.East Baton Rouge, Ouachita, and Livingston parishes have been linked to the most number of cases. Each report between 121 and 240 cases.WHAT IS HEPATITIS A?Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is a vaccine-preventable illness...WW…

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s office is now investigating a second case involving Our Lady of the Lake Dr. Shane McKinney, the 9News Investigators have learned.That incident also involves a woman, who claims McKinney physically assaulted her on a jogging area near LSU in July. McKinney was arrested after a similar incident that allegedly happened near LSU Monday, Nov. 9.“I haven’t felt comfortable going out there since that incident,” said Mrs. Thomas, who was the alleged victim of another assault by the Doctor back in July. Thomas immediately...…BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s office is now investigating a second case involving Our Lady of the Lake Dr. Shane McKinney, the 9News Investigators have learned.That incident also involves a woman, who claims McKinney physically assaulted her on a jogging area near LSU in July. McKinney was arrested after a similar incident that allegedly happened near LSU Monday, Nov. 9.“I haven’t felt comfortable going out there since that incident,” said Mrs. Thomas, who was the alleged victim of another assault by the Doctor back in July. Thomas immediately...WW…

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Members of Life Tabernacle Church in Central waited at the gate of the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for Pastor Tony Spell to be released, which happened just hours after his arrest.“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by the creator with certain inalienable rights. My rights to have church and to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ are endowed to me by my creator, not my district attorney, not my chief of police, and not my governor, not my president and not my department of justice. My inalienable rights are...…BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Members of Life Tabernacle Church in Central waited at the gate of the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for Pastor Tony Spell to be released, which happened just hours after his arrest.“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by the creator with certain inalienable rights. My rights to have church and to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ are endowed to me by my creator, not my district attorney, not my chief of police, and not my governor, not my president and not my department of justice. My inalienable rights are...WW…