🌱 BRPS Staff Excluded From $2K + A Year Of Construction On I-10

Morning, Baton Rouge! Here's everything you need to know to get this Saturday started off right. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town today.

First, today's weather:

Decreasing clouds and cool. High: 50 Low: 26.

Here are the top three stories today in Baton Rouge:

1. Baton Rouge public school leaders are discussing giving classroom teachers and librarians a one-time check of $2,000. However, the district has not yet allotted any stipends for support workers, a move that has drawn criticism. The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board agreed to debate the proposal when it next meets on Thursday, Feb. 17. (The Advocate)
2. Beginning in early 2024, motorists in Baton Rouge can expect traffic delays and ongoing construction on Interstate 10. State officials will close one lane of traffic on I-10 in each direction to widen the interstate. Though the upgrades will improve traffic once completed, drivers will likely face significant road challenges during construction. (The Advocate)
3. On Thursday, Baton Rouge Police Burglary Detectives arrested two people connected to a local catalytic converter theft ring. According to police, 39-year-old Matthew Gibson and 34-year-old Brook Gibson confiscated 101 catalytic converters cut and stolen from vehicles East Baton Rouge Parish area. (WAFB)

Today in Baton Rouge:

• Nature Connection: The Red Shoes - BREC's Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center (9:30 AM)
• Job Search Letters - East Baton Rouge Parish Library (10:30 AM)
• Valentine's Day Story/Craft- East Baton Rouge Parish Library (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Amid national and local blood shortages, Ochsner Baton Rouge is hosting blood drives throughout the month of February. Learn more about eligibility requirements, dates/times, and locations. (healthcarejournalbr.com)
• Stephen Privat, a Lafayette native and current LSU student, will soon realize a lifelong dream: appearing on Jeopardy! (KATC Lafayette News)
• 19th Judicial District judges settled a class-action lawsuit claiming they kept "innocent people ... in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison simply because they are too poor to pay for their freedom." In the settlement, judges will consider all defendants' financial circumstances before assigning bail. (WAFB)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday. 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.