While mass shootings strike at seemingly random locations—concerts, parades, schools—community gun violence strikes dependably in the most disadvantaged city blocks.  The New York Times on Tuesday published a deep-dive into Baton Rouge’s efforts to curb violent crime through community initiatives. The piece follows Liz Robinson, the mother of a young man killed in Baton Rouge in 2018, former Chief of Police Murphy Paul and other community members who have worked over the past few years to improve public safety in Baton Rouge. Through faith congregations, data collection and analysis and a ..read more

Don’t say free: A proposed bill prohibiting the word “free” to describe any services that refer to government assistance through public funding was passed on to the Senate after a 55-46 House vote. HB265 states that any agency, board, institution, official or employee should not use the word “free” to describe any services that refer to government assistance through public funding. This includes terms like “free school lunches,” “free health clinics” and “free expungement programs.” Read more from WVLA-TV. Everything’s fine: JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon expressed confidence in a robust U.S ..read more

Tsunami Sushi‘s newest wave has rolled in, 225 Magazine reports.  The second Baton Rouge location of the Lafayette-born restaurant is now open on the first floor of @Highland. The restaurant opened its doors nearly two weeks ago after some two years of construction. Though the office complex might seem like an unlikely place for a high-end sushi spot, General Manager Allyson Mayeux says the Tsunami team decided to open at 1 Smart Way to service more of Baton Rouge. According to Mayeux, the location will allow the restaurant to reach a new clientele. Read the full story ..read more

The longtime director of the Louisiana’s K-12 school board announced on Monday that she’s retiring, Louisiana Illuminator reports. Shan Davis, who has led the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for nearly a decade, announced her final day on the job via email Monday. “It just seemed like the right time,” Davis said in a call with the Louisiana Illuminator. “This is my fourth board, and I’ve always tried to carry out what the majority of the board wanted. My role is to serve the board, and that is what I’ve tried to do. I feel like I’ve enjoyed doing that, and I’ve been succe ..read more

Louisiana has the seventh-highest quit rate in the U.S., according to a recent study by Schmidt & Clark. The study analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which states had the highest average quit rates between October 2023 and January 2024. Louisiana’s average quit rate over that four-month span was 2.83%, peaking at 3% in October 2023. The study found that Alaska had the highest average quit rate in the country at 3.5%, followed by Montana and Wyoming (tied for second), West Virginia, Delaware and Mississippi. According to the latest available data from the Bu ..read more

After a series of lower-paying jobs, Nicole Slemp finally landed one she loved. She was a secretary for Washington’s child services department, a job that came with her own cubicle, and she had a knack for working with families in difficult situations. Slemp expected to return to work after having her son in August. But then she and her husband started looking for child care—and doing the math. The best option would cost about $2,000 a month, with a long wait list, and even the least expensive option would cost around $1,600, still eating up most of Slemp’s salary. Her husband earns about $35 ..read more

Louisiana lawmakers are considering a proposal that would prohibit companies from winning government contracts if they refuse to do business with firearm companies or pro-gun groups, Louisiana Illuminator reports. Senate Bill 234, sponsored by Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, was voluntarily deferred Monday before the Senate Finance Committee after members chose to defer all of Monday’s bills to consider them at a later date. The bill would add restrictions to Louisiana’s public bid law to prohibit any state or local government from contracting with any company unless the contract contains a w ..read more

New Orleans was a political foil for Gov. Jeff Landry before he took office as Louisiana’s chief executive, so it’s no surprise that his renewed focus on the city since being inaugurated has raised alarm bells. But rhetoric aside, residents and non-residents alike wonder where the Executive Branch will strike next, especially with the possibility of a constitutional convention on the horizon. Some of the city’s strongest political names have formed the New Orleans Citizen Committee to hold public meetings and negotiate with the Landry Administration. A spokesperson for the governor did not res ..read more

New Orleans was a political foil for Gov. Jeff Landry before he took office as Louisiana’s chief executive, so it’s no surprise that his renewed focus on the city since being inaugurated has raised alarm bells.  But rhetoric aside, residents and non-residents alike wonder where the Executive Branch will strike next, especially with the possibility of a constitutional convention on the horizon. Some of the city’s strongest political names have formed the New Orleans Citizen Committee to hold public meetings and negotiate with the Landry Administration. A spokesperson for the governor did n ..read more

The Cortana Corridor Economic Development District and the Florida Corridor Plan Project Team are hosting their final open house tonight. During the event, the community will be able to provide input on the master plan for the 12-mile corridor. The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at RENEW Church, formerly Florida Boulevard Baptist Church. The master plan addresses transportation, land use, urban design and community development through the lens of equitable investment. The CCEDD is administering the plan in cooperation with Build Baton Rouge, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and ..read more