Good morning, Baton Rouge.

On April 17, Zachary Rotary Club members heard from Brian Hightower and Bus Culotta about the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank—leaders noted that in 2024 the bank distributed 12.8 million meals and 16.6 million pounds of food to feed thousands of families.

On Tuesday, May 6, at about 3:10 p.m., firefighters responded to a house fire on Highland Park Drive and believe lightning started the blaze that caused heavy smoke in the carport, attic, and storage room—firefighters controlled the fire in 45 minutes with 10 units while the only resident was away and the damage reached $75,000.

Mid City Merchant’s annual Hot Art Cool Nights festival will take place Friday, May 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. along Government Street—local businesses will host live music, food vendors and sell limited edition screen printed t-shirts and posters in a small run.

In 2024, Baton Rouge welcomed 9 million visitors who spent $1.7 billion and supported 38,500 jobs, with hotels showing 56% overall occupancy and events like Louisiana Lights drawing nearly 40,000 guests.

Visit Baton Rouge plans to boost tourism as officials outline a project to repurpose Raising Cane’s River Center as a convention center — adding a complementary hotel to meet the need for more meeting spaces.

Thirteen Baton Rouge-area high school students have been named National Merit Scholarship winners—each student receives a $2,500 award from the program, with winners from schools like St. Joseph’s Academy, Baton Rouge Magnet High and Episcopal High.

More winners will be announced in June and July as part of Louisiana's 237 semifinalists in this 70th annual program.

A federal appeals court ruled that Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish Tufts University doctoral student detained by ICE in Louisiana, will be transferred to Vermont custody for hearings to determine if her detention violated her constitutional rights—she has been held for six weeks after co-writing an op-ed criticizing the university's response to Israel's war in Gaza.

A survey of over 3,000 moms named Baton Rouge’s The Gregory—located in the historic Watermark Hotel—as one of Louisiana’s top picks for Mother’s Day, joined by New Orleans’ Atchafalaya and Shreveport’s Chianti.

On Tuesday, the Louisiana Supreme Court heard arguments in the divorce case of former LSU football coach Ed Orgeron over whether his ex-wife should receive any money from his $17 million buyout—his attorney argued that the funds were earned after their divorce while she claims she sacrificed her career to support him and raise their children. The court now considers the case with three retired judges following three justices' recusal, and LSU will continue paying the remaining installments of his buyout later this year.

Vincent Neil Emerson Live Performance

9:00-10:30 p.m. — Chelsea's Live — Cost TBA — Experience the acclaimed singer-songwriter blend Americana, country, and rock n roll in an engaging live setting.

4th Annual Miles2Moms Event

7:30-11:30 a.m. — North Boulevard Town Square — Free entry with registration — Celebrate maternal mental health through a fun 2-mile walk/run with family and friends.

Disney On Ice: Let's Dance!

11 a.m. — Raising Cane's River Center — Ticketed event — Experience a magical remix of Disney tunes with Mickey and friends on ice.

2025 Pan American Masters Weightlifting Championships

May 14-18 — Crowne Plaza Executive Center Baton Rouge by IHG — Early registration $149 — Witness an exciting competition featuring master lifters from across the Americas.

Strength and Speed: 8th and 9th Grade Baseball Training

12 PM - 1 PM — Catholic High School — Must participate in Metro League for tryout eligibility — Enhance athletic skills with focused strength and conditioning training for aspiring CHS baseball players.

Metro League Baseball Tryouts

2-4 p.m. — Catholic High School — Required participation for prospective CHS Baseball team members — Organized league play for 7th-9th graders aiming for the upcoming school year's team.

2025 Elite Camp #1

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. — LSU Football Operations Center — Cost not specified — Enhance your athletic skills at this comprehensive camp for high school students.

Taj Farrant's Chapter One Tour

9:00 – 10:30 PM — Chelsea's Live — Tickets available — Experience the debut album tour of young Australian guitarist Taj Farrant showcasing his unique sound.