Gabriella Mercurio

Baton Rouge

Weekend Anchor and Reporter at WAFB-TV (Baton Rouge, LA)

Weekend Anchor/Reporter @WAFB || Former Weekend Anchor/MMJ @abc27 || UF Alum || Story Ideas: [email protected]

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Articles

New online exhibit bringing awareness to fentanyl crisis

2 weeks ago | kplctv.com | Gabriella Mercurio

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Fentanyl is still the number one drug threat across the country, according to the DEA. Now, they’re launching a new initiative to try and raise more awareness. Layle Schmidt has always been close to her son, Manny. “Our bond was, I mean, he was my only child for ten years, you know,” said Schmidt.
‘She gave me life twice’: Mom, daughter graduate nursing school together after kidney transplant

3 weeks ago | kktv.com | Gabriella Mercurio |Jordan Gartner

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB/Gray News) - A Louisiana mother and daughter are set to graduate from nursing school together this month after going through a medical journey of their own. Nija Butler says she knew she had a special bond with her daughter, Ambrealle Butler, the day she was born. “I had her when I was in high school, so we grew up together basically as siblings,” NijaButlersaid.
“She gave me life twice”; Mom and daughter graduate nursing school together after kidney transplants

3 weeks ago | kplctv.com | Gabriella Mercurio

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Nija Butler knew she had a special bond with her daughter, Ambrealle, the day she was born. “I had her when I was in high school, so we grew up together basically as siblings,” said Nija. “She’s my best friend, she’s my confidante.”Growing up, Ambrealle was a normal, healthy child. That all changed at a routine checkup in her late 20s“I was so young at the time, so I had forever, or so I thought,” said Ambrealle.
One victim, one shooter and a second chance

3 weeks ago | wdam.com | Gabriella Mercurio |Rick Portier

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Don Allison got the call to be a Deacon in 2017 and through his journey, he’s learned more than he thought he would about the value of forgiveness and redemption. “I’m in the process of becoming a different person. It’s all intertwined, I know it is,” explained Don. It started back in April of 1996. Don was working late one night and headed to his car just before midnight.
Hotel tax proposed to support first responders in Denham Springs

Aug 20, 2024 | wafb.com | Gabriella Mercurio

DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (WAFB) - Lieutenant Keith Scoby and the Denham Springs Police Department are getting creative to retain and recruit more first responders. "We're trying to catch up with surrounding agencies that offer more competitive pay scales and that's simply what we're trying to do," explained Scoby. "We have to think outside the means of a sales tax and a property tax and this was the solution we came up with."The solution is creating a 6.75% tax on the city's hotels.
Investigators looking into 2 separate interstate shootings

Aug 19, 2024 | wafb.com | Gabriella Mercurio

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Some drivers are more anxious to get behind the wheel after two separate shootings on our interstates this past weekend. Baton Rouge Police are now trying to piece together what led to a shooting on I-110 late Saturday night.
New 'Blight to Bright' Oversight Committee in the works for EBR

Aug 14, 2024 | wafb.com | Gabriella Mercurio

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The goal of this new committee would be to revitalize any neglected properties and work to keep more from popping up. "I can definitely tell you where the blight is in 10," said Metro Councilwoman Carolyn Coleman. This is what Coleman is talking about. Overgrown grass trashed lawns, and hazardous homes with things like collapsed roofs are becoming more common throughout her district.
New plan for revitalizing downtown Baton Rouge is in the works

Aug 13, 2024 | wafb.com | Gabriella Mercurio

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - It's been almost 15 years since the last Plan of Baton Rouge was created, which is basically a blueprint for what the future of what downtown should look like and how to make that come to life. Although there has been a lot of new developments downtown over the last few years, there has not been a clear, cohesive plan on how these projects will work together to bring more investments to the area. That's the goal of creating a new master plan called Plan Baton Rouge III.
BRCC expanding skilled trade programs

Aug 7, 2024 | wafb.com | Gabriella Mercurio

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Filling the gap in the skilled trades workforce. That's the goal of Baton Rouge Community College's newest projects. With the help of an $850,000 grant from Lowe's Foundation, BRCC is not only creating a new plumbing certification program but also building a new construction trades outdoor learning lab. It's something Provost and Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Student Development Sarah Barlow said will allow students to put their classroom knowledge to the test.
Officials remind drivers about school zone, school bus safety

Aug 6, 2024 | wafb.com | Gabriella Mercurio

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - As the school year starts back up, drivers are being urged to practice safety in school zones and around school buses. "Buses are carrying precious cargo, our children, and it's incumbent on all of us to ensure that they arrive to school and that they return home safely every day," said Dr. Jason Fountain, superintendent of Central Schools. Unfortunately, that does not always happen.