🌱 Tuition-Free Degrees + Shorty Grocery Sells $1K Scratch-Off

Happy Wednesday, neighbors! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening today.

First, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 66 Low: 36.

Here are the top three stories in Baton Rouge today:

1. Baton Rouge high school students may soon have the opportunity to access higher education without the hurdle of tuition. The East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS) is holding multiple informational sessions about its new “Pathways to Bright Futures” program, which will allow high school students to graduate with an associate degree or “industry-based credential.” Five different career paths — construction and manufacturing, medical and pre-med, transportation and logistics, technology, and liberal arts and management — are available under the program. (BRProud.com)
2. A lucky customer of a Baton Rouge deli won big on a Wild Bingo scratch-off ticket. The Shorty Grocery on Winbourne sold the lotto ticket to the lucky customer, who came out with $1,000. The odds of the $1,000-win are 1 in 52,440, according to the Louisiana Lottery Corporation. (BRProud.com)
3. An LSU research team is hoping to offer the U.S. government a means of protecting international travelers from COVID: tracking airport bathroom wastewater. The researchers are already using the technology to track the disease on campus and throughout Baton Rouge. They've also conducted a test with an Australian airline, which allowed them to predict future COVID cases with 85% accuracy. (The Advocate)

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Today in Baton Rouge:

• Morning Yoga - Hybrid Event - The Red Shoes (8:00 AM)
• Ochsner Blood Drive - East Baton Rouge Parish Library (11:30 AM)
• Beary Valentines Story/Craft - East Baton Rouge Parish Library (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Five new Baton Rouge properties have gone up for sale — could you find your new dream home? (Baton Rouge Patch)
• Want to bring a furry friend into your life? Learn more about the dogs and cats available for adoption in Baton Rouge. (Baton Rouge Patch)
• An after-hours pediatric urgent care opened yesterday in Baton Rouge. (BRProud.com)

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Alrighty, 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.