🌱 Haiti Unity Summit + College Football Boosts EBR Spending

Morning, people of Baton Rouge! It's me again, Kayla Harrison, your host of the Baton Rouge Daily.

First, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 58 Low: 43.

Here are the top 3 stories today in Baton Rouge:

1. Haiti's most influential groups and prominent political leaders will meet in Baton Rouge this week to discuss the next steps for the country in crisis. The Haiti Unity Summit, to be held at the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, will take place from Thursday, Jan. 13 through Wednesday, Jan. 19. According to the university, the goal of the summit is to"lay the groundwork" for a transitional government that will organize elections. (NOLA.com)
2. Recent data shows that consumer and business spending in East Baton Rouge Parish increased 19.2% from the year before. Just over $1 billion was spent in the parish during October 2021, compared to the $841.7 million spent in October 2020. The drastic change can be largely attributed to the return of college football, a big moneymaker for the parish. (The Advocate)
3. Months after controversy over her leaked audio recordings, Chief Administrative Officer Pearlina Thomas has parted ways with Capital Area Transit System. In the recording, Thomas is heard stating that $5 million is missing from the agency and that CEO Bill Deville helped cover up the missing funds. It has not been stated whether Thomas resigned or had been fired from the position. (The Advocate)

Today in Baton Rouge:

• Try Arts Tuesday - Arts Council Of Greater Baton Rouge (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• A driver suffered a fatal car crash in East Baton Rouge on Monday. 43-year-old Quentin Harris of Baton Rouge was unrestrained at the time of the accident and was ejected from his vehicle after overturning. (Facebook)
• Luke Mixon, a candidate in the 2022 U.S. Senate election, spoke at the Press Club of Baton Rouge on Monday. (Facebook)
• As part of the "Safer, Smarter Schools" program, all students and staff in the greater Baton Rouge area are eligible for free PCR COVID-19 testing. (WAFB)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow for another 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.