🌱 BR District Judge Found Dead + Rannah Gray Wrote A Novel In BR

Up and at 'em, Baton Rouge! Let's get this Monday started off right. Here's everything going on in town today.

First, today's weather:

Sunny and warmer. High: 60 Low: 34.

Here are the top 3 stories in Baton Rouge today:

1. A Baton Rouge district judge was found dead in his Baker home. 19th Judicial District Court Judge Christopher R. Dassau hadn't responded to loved ones on Sunday, prompting them to contact the police. There is no foul play suspected at this time. (WAFB)
2. Rannah Gray's second young adult mystery reveals Baton Rouge through her great-nieces' eyes. She wrote "The Mystery of the Heart-Shaped Locket" with the help of her 11-year-old great-nieces, who serve as an inspiration for the young detectives in the books. (Free: Prestigious Scholarships, Subscription: The Advocate)
3. At-home COVID tests helped a Baton Rouge family locate the virus before its transmission to other family members. Henry Thurman recently bought a test kit after one of his family members developed COVID-like symptoms. It came back positive, but they were able to keep the rest of the family from contracting the virus due to the proactive nature of their actions. (WBRZ)

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Today in Baton Rouge:

• Virtual Spiritual Ecology Circle, Hosted By The Red Shoes (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge thanks 30 wonderful people/families who took in FOTA dogs & puppies this week! They also mentioned two additional fosters this week — Bella T. and K.M. (Facebook)
• Did you know that Muhammad Ali used his talent and celebrity to give back to communities and causes he cared about, inspiring others to do the same? Learn all about it this Thurs., Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. when Louisiana Public Broadcasting presents a free virtual discussion hosted by Ro Brown. (Instagram)
• Louisiana Children's Museum held peace yoga sessions on Sunday to practice inner peace. They also discussed Peace Week: A Celebration of Dr. King’s Legacy activities, which can be found at lcm.org or using the link in their bio.⁠ ⁠(Instagram)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— 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.