Early voting ends today, Southern's lockdown lifts, and jobs hit a record

If you've noticed more hard hats around town, the numbers back you up. The Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership's third-quarter report says the Capital Area recorded a record 442,500 nonfarm jobs in July. Construction reached a record 58,700 jobs.

Louisiana First reports the report credits two big projects for the construction uptick: the Hut 8 data center in West Feliciana Parish and the Hyundai Steel mill in Ascension Parish. Job applications for the Hyundai plant have opened.

• Unemployment: 3.5% in August, the lowest rate on record
• Unemployment claims: down 29% from last year
• Private weekly earnings: $1,236.65, first among Louisiana metros
• Pay growth: 5.5% over the past year

If you follow the EBR Schools corruption case, the paperwork just changed. A special grand jury filed a superseding indictment on Oct. 14 against Superintendent LaMont Cole, and it replaces the original. The attorney general's spokesman, Ellis Roussel, said it was “to simply help clarify the indictment for the jury,” according to Unfiltered with Kiran.

His attorneys said Monday they'll file motions to throw out the new indictment. WBRZ reports they want the remaining charges dropped. Attorney Joel Porter called the case “prosecutorial malpractice.”

• Charges stem from his Metro Council time, not as superintendent
• Co-defendants: Terral Jackson and Erica Jackson
• Not in the new indictment: the $40,000 in alleged bribes

If you're planning your Nov. 7, here's the time. The SEC announced Alabama at LSU will kick off at 2:30 p.m. on ABC, so you can leave the porch light off. It's the first daytime kickoff for this game in Tiger Stadium since 2010, when the Tigers won 24-21.

Both teams are 6-2 and idle this week. LSU, ranked 15th in the latest AP Poll, beat Auburn 38-17, and Alabama beat Texas A&M 31-20. Louisiana Sports says it's the first meeting between coaches Lane Kiffin and Kalen DeBoer, and 107 JAMZ notes 2027 will be the first season since 1963 the teams don't meet.

• Series: Alabama leads 58-27-5 and won the last three meetings
• Next meeting: 2028; Alabama's next Baton Rouge trip is 2030 at the earliest
• After Alabama: LSU hosts No. 11 Texas, then visits No. 16 Tennessee

If you live in Ascension Parish and have opinions about data centers, the council just gave itself time. Members passed the moratorium Oct. 26 on new data centers and high-impact facilities. Council Chair Chase Melancon made the motion, Todd Varnado seconded it, and no one objected.

WBRZ reports the pause is meant to give the council time to finalize guidelines, and members plan to visit other parishes working with data centers. “We've got to work through this and figure out how we protect our parish from the bad while we have an opportunity to seize the good,” Dist. 4 Councilman Brett Arceneaux said.

• Concerns: resource use, environmental impacts, quality of life
• Meeting ran nearly three and a half hours
• Next meeting: Jan. 21, 2027, at the courthouse annex in Gonzales

If you have business at City Court, plan around this one. Part of St. Louis Street, from Louisiana Avenue to the city court parking lot, will stay closed until mid-November. The Advocate reports a 50-year-old metal water pipe ruptured Sunday, the second time since Oct. 15.

Crews expect to finish the pipe replacement by the end of this week. Street and sidewalk repairs will take until mid-November, officials said. Until the pipe work is done, City Court is without hot water.

• Parking: both garages at St. Louis and Government streets are open
• Garage access: from Government Street only
• City Court: no hot water until the pipe is replaced

If you're still sizing up the 5th Congressional District race, here's what you missed. Five of the nine candidates took questions at the Baton Rouge Press Club on Mon., Oct. 26 about following their party or breaking ranks for constituents.

Republican Austin Magee said he'd never take a party-line vote that hurts his constituents. Democrat Dan McKay said the party must stay together on controlling Donald Trump. State Rep. Pat Moore said she wasn't endorsed by the state Democratic Party over disagreements, and WBRZ quoted her saying the district is “predominantly 62 percent Republican.”

• Field: six Republicans and three Democrats across 24 parishes
• Invited but absent: Stewart Cathey, Misti Cordell, Oscar Omar Dantzler, Antonio Wilson
• Early voting ends Tuesday, Oct. 27; polls are open 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If you live in Gonzales, your council members just gave themselves a raise. The council approved an ordinance Oct. 26 increasing each member's monthly pay from $1,000 to $1,600.

Eddie Williams cast the lone no vote. A $750 uniform allowance was dropped because the original introduction didn't include it, and WBRZ reports the council plans to reintroduce it at a later meeting.

• Amendment removing the allowance: passed 5-0
• Budget ordinance to fund the raise: deferred 5-0
• Budget year: June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027

LSU Police arrested Ronald White, 21, after a woman reported that she was raped Friday night in a study room at Spruce Hall, an allegation White denies, WAFB reported. According to the arrest warrant, White placed a pistol on a chair before the assault. White told police the encounter was consensual and denied having a gun.

Officers said White ran from Spruce Hall when they arrived and was found hiding under a vehicle near Iowa and West Chimes streets. WBRZ reports he was found with seven grams of marijuana. Louisiana First reports the gun was not recovered, and The Reveille reports White denied having a firearm.

• Bond: White is being held without bond
• 2024 case: the Wendy's investigation was suspended
• Warrant detail: charges are allegations, not findings

Deputies arrested Jalaycia Barnes, 26, after a man was shot at a home on Sharon Hills Boulevard around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. She's charged with attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons, and she was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.

Unfiltered with Kiran reports the man called 911 saying he'd drive himself to the hospital, and Barnes said she'd take him instead. Per arrest documents, Barnes admitted shooting him as he walked away. WBRZ says surveillance video shows her punching him in the side first.

• Victim: taken to a hospital, gave various stories
• Unfiltered reports his gunshot wounds were non-life-threatening
• Bond: none for Barnes as of Louisiana First's report

Two Tigers picked up league hardware. Quarterback Sam Leavitt is the SEC Offensive Player of the Week and edge rusher Jordan Ross is the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week, Crescent City Sports reports. It's the second time each has won the award this season.

Leavitt accounted for four touchdowns and 432 total yards, completing 32 of 45 passes for a career-high 378 yards. Ross had four tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks, WBRZ reports, as LSU held Auburn to a season-low 270 total yards.

• Leavitt joins Joe Burrow with back-to-back 30-plus completion games
• Leavitt's last two games: 63-of-83 for 667 yards, seven touchdowns
• Next up: a bye this weekend, then Alabama on Nov. 7