News - Fox44.com

3D TV pricing revealed — with a catch

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:49:56 -0600

The biggest TV manufacturers are finally starting to reveal prices for their new 3D TV sets, and believe it or not, several of the new sets will actually cost about the same or even a bit less than last year's equivalent 2D models. That said, there's a catch: The active-shutter LCD glasses that you'll need to watch 3D video cost a pretty penny.

Samsung was the first of the big four TV makers to flip its 3D pricing cards over this week; Panasonic is up tomorrow, while Sony and LG will follow in the coming weeks and months.

EMS to pay for new $7.5 million facility

Tyler Gamble, FNBR Reporter — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:18:52 -0600

Many public agencies are trying to figure out how to do more with less, but Baton Rouge EMS officials say they've been saving up for a rainy day, and hope to build a new facility.

The agency has shared a building with the city police department downtown for the past 20 years.

During that time, EMS expanded, and officials say, they've outgrown the building.

Plans for the new facility are underway.

Officials say it would cost an estimated $7.5 million.

Disabled man demands a more "handicap-friendly" Baton Rouge

Emily Turner — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:25:47 -0600

A disabled man is giving city officials one month to make Baton Rouge more handicap-friendly…or he's taking them to court.

G. Washington Eames claims the downtown area is in total non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, federal regulations designed to give handicapped people full access to public goods, services and facilities.

Eames says over the past three years he's written multiple letters to city officials pointing out the problems with handicap parking and restroom access. He says he hasn’t gotten a response back yet.

Christians flee after Nigeria's massacre

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:13:48 -0600

JOS, Nigeria – Christian villagers in Nigeria fled their homes following threats of new attacks in the aftermath of a massacre, despite the presence Tuesday of troops designed to restore calm to the region.

As mass burials for some of the hundreds of victims of a three-hour orgy of violence took place near the city of Jos, survivors nursed wounds in hospitals.

China says committed to U.S. debt, wary on gold

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:41:18 -0600

China, the world's biggest holder of foreign exchange reserves, renewed its commitment to the U.S. Treasury market on Tuesday but said it would be wary of substantially boosting its gold holdings.

China

The country's chief currency regulator said China would attract more capital inflows this year, partly reflecting expectations of a stronger yuan, but he left the market none the wiser as to when Beijing might let the currency resume its rise.

Obama to push climate change in White House meeting

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:26:19 -0600

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will corral on Tuesday key Republican and Democratic senators whose support is critical for passing a climate change law, seeking to jump-start stalled efforts to overhaul energy policy.

Obama called the White House meeting with top lawmakers and members of his cabinet to reinvigorate one of his policy priorities, which even his advisers admit has suffered from the president's intense focus on healthcare reform.

Policy could prohibit citizens from fishing many bodies of water

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:08:18 -0600

The Obama administration will accept no more public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing the nation's oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters.

This announcement comes at the time when the situation supposedly still is "fluid" and the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force still hasn't issued its final report on zoning uses of these waters.

U.S. sitting on rare tech-crucial minerals

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:29:16 -0600

China supplies most of the rare earth minerals found in technologies such as hybrid cars, wind turbines, computer hard drives and cell phones, but the U.S. has its own largely untapped reserves that could safeguard future tech innovation.

Prius with stuck accelerator glides to safe stop

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:10:50 -0600

EL CAJON, Calif. – A California Highway Patrol officer helped slow a runaway Toyota Prius from 94 mph to a safe stop on Monday after the car's accelerator became stuck on a San Diego County freeway, the CHP said.

Prius driver James Sikes called 911 about 1:30 p.m. after accelerating to pass another vehicle on Interstate 8 near La Posta and finding that he could not control his car, the CHP said.

Japan confirms Cold War-era 'secret' pacts with US

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:56:14 -0600

TOKYO – Japan confirmed for the first time Tuesday the existence of once-secret Cold War-era pacts with the U.S. that tacitly allowed nuclear-armed warships to enter Japanese ports in violation of Tokyo's postwar principles.

While declassified U.S. documents have already confirmed such 1960s agreements, Tuesday's revelation broke with decades of official denials.

State troopers seize 800 pounds of pot

Tyler Gamble, FNBR Reporter — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:52:59 -0600

Louisiana State Police recovered nearly 800 pounds of marijuana Sunday morning.

Troopers stopped 38 year old Aaron Major on I-12 around 7:30.

During the traffic stop, they found three large duffle bags with nearly 200 pounds of packaged marijuana.

Later in the morning, Troopers arrested 22 year old Stacey Hopper on I-12.

Troopers found more than 500 pounds of marijuana hidden in various pieces of furniture in the U-Haul truck he was driving.

Bayou Goula Fire Station helps cut insurance rates

Emily Turner — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:42:41 -0600

Folks in Bayou Goula can thank local firefighters for an expected drop in fire insurance rates.

That's because Iberville Parish's Fire District 8 received a Class 6 ranking by the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana.

The Bayou Goula department had held a Class 10 ranking-- the lowest possible.

Parish leaders claim newly updated equipment and fire hydrants led to the improvement.

Bayou Goula homeowners like Dorothy Jackson say the community can benefit from lower insurance rates, however, she's more relieved to know firefighters are better prepared for emergencies.

Controversy swirls around White House Chief of Staff Emanuel

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:29:21 -0600

Will the real Rahm Emanuel please stand up? The hard-charging chief of staff for the Obama administration has lately been stirring up new speculation in Washington as the White House enters a critical push to finalize tortuous congressional negotiations on health care legislation.

Body found in Zachary

Tyler Gamble, FNBR Reporter — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:26:54 -0600

Zachary Police are investigating a murder.

Detectives say Department of Public Works employees found a man's body while working on McHugh road early Monday morning.

The victim is described as a black man in his 30s.

Police say they have identified the victim but are waiting for autopsy results to be sure.

The body was found in a rural part of Zachary on one of the few remaining gravel roads in town.

Capt. David McDavid says the discovery was shocking.

"It's definitely tough coming in on a Monday morning," said David.

Drivers license fees up

Tyler Gamble, FNBR Reporter — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:09:20 -0600

Driving in Louisiana comes with a price, and today the price went up 70%.

License fees for class "D" and "E" drivers now cost $36.50.

That's up $15.00.

The extra money covers a fee for the National Driver Registry--a federal program that provides driver history to Motor Vehicle offices nation wide.

The state has covered the cost of the fee for the past two years, but budget cuts are forcing the fee on to Louisiana drivers.

Why 'Avatar' lost big at the Oscars

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:56:08 -0600

Really, looking back, did "Avatar" even stand a chance?

"Avatar" is still raking in the profits, but failed to produce the critical success that Cameron's previous film, "Titanic," generated 12 years ago. In fact, "Avatar" — the most financially successful film of all time — was easily the most mocked film of the evening.

Shooting at north Dallas office tower

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:20:26 -0600

DALLAS - There has been a shooting at an 18-story office tower in North Dallas housing the United Texas Bank, among other businesses.

The incident happened at about 11 a.m. at the Four Forest building at 12222 Merit Dr., off Interstate 635.

According to police, an armed man shot a 63-year-old father and his 39-year-old son at a financial services business they own on the third floor. He also pointed his gun at arriving police, who fired at him and missed.

FOX Renews “FRINGE” For a Third Season

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:16:16 -0600

FOX has renewed FRINGE, the critically acclaimed thrilling drama, for a third season, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company.

Tom Delay: People are unemployed because they want to be

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:43:24 -0600

Former House Majority Leader Tom Delay called Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) "brave" on Sunday for launching a one-man filibuster of unemployment benefits, arguing that they dissuaded people from going out and finding work.

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," the Texas Republican said that Bunning's fiscal responsibility was commendable, even if his shenanigans (refusing to allow unemployment benefits to be considered by unanimous consent) nearly brought the Senate to a halt.

2010 Oscar winners

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:28:36 -0600

LOS ANGELES, CA - The 82nd Annual Academy Awards took place Sunday night in Los Angeles.

Celebrities were decked out in their Sunday best, but best dressed is only a consolation prize.

Nominees had their eyes set on winning an Oscar.

Here is a list of the big winners.

Best Picture - The Hurt Locker

Best Director -Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Best Actor - Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Best Actress - Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side

Best Supporting Actor -Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Pakistan: American al-Qaida suspect nabbed

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:40:31 -0600

ISLAMABAD – An American member of al-Qaida was picked up in a raid in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, Pakistani officials said Monday, but reversed earlier assertions that the detained man was the terror network's U.S.-born spokesman.

They identified the suspect as Abu Yahya Majadin Adam, but gave no details on his background or role within al-Qaida.

Details of “Einstein” cyber shield disclosed by White House

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:33:27 -0600

The Obama administration lifted the veil Tuesday on a highly-secretive set of policies to defend the U.S. from cyber attacks.

It was an open secret that the National Security Agency was bolstering a Homeland Security program to detect and respond to cyber attacks on government systems, but a summary of that program declassified Tuesday provides more details of NSA’s role in a Homeland program known as Einstein.

Rep. Eric Massa to resign

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:18:34 -0600

Democratic Rep. Eric Massa will resign from Congress on Monday, only days after reports first surfaced that the freshman New York lawmaker was under investigation by the House ethics committee for allegedly sexually harassing a male staffer.

Massa was preparing the news in the Corning Leader, his local newspaper, but several media outlets were already reporting the news Friday afternoon.

LA lawmaker pushes for saggy pants ban

Emily Turner — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:00:12 -0600

A Lafayette lawmaker is hoping the third time's a charm when it comes to a proposed bill that would ban saggy pants across the state of louisiana.

Democratic Rep. Rickey Hardy will bring House Bill 103 to the upcoming legislative session.

Hardy is reviving former Sen. Derrick Shepherd's push to make the wearing of low-riding bottoms illegal.

The proposal was mocked by lawmakers around the country. The bill was first shot down in 2004 by the House, and in 2008 by the Senate.

Security teams engage in shootouts as pirate attacks intensify

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:45:32 -0600

NAIROBI, Kenya – Signaling a new offensive mindset, international military officials vowed Friday to fight the pirates as swarms of Somalis moved into the waters off East Africa. Four shootouts with pirates showed that high-seas attacks are intensifying with the end of the monsoon season.

Nearly half the 47 ships hijacked off Somalia last year were taken in March and April — the most dangerous months of the year for ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

Obama looking to give new life to immigration reform

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:57:30 -0600

In an effort to advance a bill through Congress before midterm elections, the president meets with two senators who have spent months trying to craft legislation.

Reporting from Washington - Despite steep odds, the White House has discussed prospects for reviving a major overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, a commitment that President Obama has postponed once already.

Obama took up the issue privately with his staff Monday in a bid to advance a bill through Congress before lawmakers become too distracted by approaching midterm elections.

'SMALLVILLE' to Return For a Tenth Season

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:23:36 -0600

Burbank, CA - The CW Network has announced that its hit series “Smallville” will return in the fall of 2010 for a momentous tenth season.

“Smallville,” a modern retelling of the Superman legend, stars Tom Welling as Clark Kent. The series moved to Friday nights this season, where it currently ranks as network television’s #1 show in its time period among men 18-34 and men 18-49.

Body scanners are headed to 11 major airports

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:06:24 -0600

WASHINGTON — Eleven major airports will begin using body scanners to screen passengers as the Transportation Security Administration launches a plan to buy 1,000 of the machines over the next two years.
The scanners can look under passengers' clothing in order to detect weapons and explosives.

Gunman killed after shooting 2 Pentagon police

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:48:45 -0600

WASHINGTON – A California man killed in a shootout with Pentagon police drove cross-country and arrived at the military headquarters' subway entrance armed with two semiautomatic weapons, authorities said Friday. The shooter apparently left behind Internet postings resentful of the government and airing suspicions about the 9/11 attacks.

John Patrick Bedell, 36, of Hollister, Calif., was named as the gunman in the Thursday evening attack. Authorities said he'd had previous run-ins with the law.

WH considering military trials for 9/11 suspects

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:48:41 -0600

WASHINGTON – In a potential reversal, White House advisers are close to recommending that President Barack Obama opt for military tribunals for self-professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four of his alleged henchman, senior officials said.

The review of where and how to hold a Sept. 11 trial is not over, so no recommendation is yet before the president and Obama has not made a determination of his own, officials said. The review is not likely to be finished this week.