🌱 BR Man Charged In $1.4M Student Loan Scheme + Pioneer Award

Happy Wednesday, Baton Rouge! Here's everything you need to know to get this day started. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening today in Baton Rouge.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and cooler. High: 66 Low: 42.

Here are the top three stories in Baton Rouge today:

1. A federal jury has convicted a Baton Rouge man on fraud charges for stealing more than $1.4 million in federal student loans and grants. After an eight-day trial, Elliot Sterling of Baton Rouge was unanimously convicted by the jury of five counts of wire fraud. The U.S. Attorney said the wire fraud charges Sterling was convicted of were in relation to a scheme in which Sterling defrauded the Department of Education’s federal student aid program. (WAFB)
2. The Pioneer Award given by the 5th Annual Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival was awarded to a Plaquemine restaurant owner this year. Festival officials awarded Deborah Dickerson of D’s Southern Soul Cafe in Plaquemine with the award for outstanding contributions to the soul food industry. Southern Soul Cafe is one of the few places serving peppergrass, but also serves highly requested chitterlings and smothered liver. (BRProud.com)
3. Are you house hunting in the Baton Rouge area? As part of a weekly real estate roundup, a collaboration between Patch and Redfin.com, you will find some of the newest and most interesting houses to hit the market. Check out this week's five new homes, including a 1,417 square foot home with 3 beds and 2.5 baths going for $145,000. (Baton Rouge Patch)

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Today in Baton Rouge:

• Wire Rose Ring Grab & Geaux - East Baton Rouge Parish Library (12:00 AM)
• Swamper Scavenger Hunt (OBOC) - East Baton Rouge Parish Library (9:00 AM)
• Fitness in the Stacks - East Baton Rouge Parish Library (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Yesterday, Louisiana State Police Troopers had the opportunity to meet the Kindergarten students at St Catherine of Siena school. Troopers were able to spend time with the students, reading them books, talking about seatbelt safety, and answering their many questions. (Facebook)
• Due to the expected severe weather in the afternoon in the area on Tuesday, Mar. 22, the Zoo closed at noon. The zoo urges residents to pay attention to the weather conditions and stay safe. (Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (March 31)
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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you around.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.