🌱 Body Found + Santa Muerte Shooting? + Lowest Unemployment Rate

Hey, Baton Rouge! Here's everything you need to know to get this Friday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Colder; an afternoon shower. High: 42 Low: 29.

Here are the top 4 stories today in Baton Rouge:

1. On Thursday morning, a body was spotted near the U.S.S. Kidd on the Mississippi River shoreline. The Baton Rouge Police Department says the body, found near the levee along S River Road, appeared to be an adult and has not been identified yet. BRPD has not said whether foul play was involved in the person's death. (WBRZ)
2. David Mendez, 45, has been accused of shooting and killing 26-year-old Juan Reyes Lugos on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at a Sleep Inn. Mendez reportedly told investigators that Santa Muerte, a “folk saint” with a large following in organized crime, encouraged him to kill the victim. He was booked on charges of second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon. (WBRZ)
3. A local woman died after being shot in her front yard on Wednesday. Police identified the victim as Dolores Jackson, 36, who lived in the 5900 block of Cadillac Street. Ken Watson, the victim's brother-in-law, said Jackson was struck by a wayward bullet as she walked back from the park with her young son. (The Advocate)
4. The unemployment rate for the Baton Rouge metropolitan area fell from 3.5 to 3.2 percent from November to December, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It’s the lowest unemployment rate on record dating back to 1990, according to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. (Greater Baton Rouge Business Report)

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Today in Baton Rouge:

• Sensory Sensitivity Time At The East Baton Rouge Parish Library (9:00 AM)
• Fitness In The Stacks At The East Baton Rouge Parish Library (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Celebrate National Pork Rind Appreciation Day with local cracklins! Check out the best places to go here. (The Advocate)
• Looking for a new home in Baton Rouge? These five local houses have just hit the market. (Baton Rouge Patch)
• Here’s a list of fun things to do this weekend at the Baton Rouge Arts Market. (225 Baton Rouge)
• If you’re a local basketball fan, here’s this weekend’s list of scheduled high school games, including the Capitol High School Lions and the Cristo Rey Baton Rouge High School Wolves. (Baton Rouge Patch)

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Alrighty, you're all good for today! See you tomorrow morning for your next update.

— Kayla Harrison

About me: Kayla Harrison is a Writing Arts professor, as well as a freelance writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. In her free time, you can find her listening to podcasts, writing poetry, and visiting local coffee shops.