Daily
Baton Rouge
Friday, May 22nd, 2026
Good morning, Baton Rouge. Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 22nd of May.
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ 9th annual Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival takes place at the Main Library this weekend, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, featuring blues, soul, R&B, jazz and gospel music plus food contests — earlier, a pre-party at Henry Turner Jr’s Listening Room required a $30 donation for a buffet. WBRZ
- ➤ Local booksellers and libraries are featuring six recommended summer reads by Louisiana authors including New Iberia’s James Lee Burke and Shreveport’s Ashley Elston, offering options for poolside, plane, or cozy chair reading. 225 Magazine
- ➤ Comedian Gary Owen will perform on his first national theater tour on Dec. 29 at Raising Cane’s River Center. Tickets went on sale earlier this week with local presales starting May 21 and general on-sale tickets available today. WBRZ
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Louisiana teachers face a $2,000 stipend cut next school year after the Senate finance committee approved a budget on Thursday that dropped these payments amid lower revenue forecasts. The plan also cuts $1,000 for school support staff and now awaits full Senate approval. The Advocate
- ➤ LSU President Wade Rousse broke ground with Delta Tau Delta members on Wednesday for their new Epsilon Kappa Chapter house on campus. The project, which followed over a year of planning and fundraising, aims to foster fraternity brotherhood — a valued tradition among LSU students. LSU Reveille
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ NOAA released an outlook predicting 8-14 named storms including 3-6 hurricanes and 1-3 major hurricanes for the Atlantic hurricane season from June 1 to Nov. 30 — residents are urged to update their preparedness plans. WJBO
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser announced on Thursday that 19 Louisiana communities earned national Main Street accreditation for their downtown revitalization efforts, meeting rigorous standards from the National Main Street Center (one of 838 programs nationwide) and highlighting over $1 billion in statewide investments. WBRZ
- ➤ The St. Gabriel Police Department said Thursday that the 45 mph speed limits set during road work on La. 30 will remain to curb a rise in crashes, with signs posted from the La. 74 junction toward Baton Rouge. WBRZ
LIFESTYLE NEWS
- ➤ BREC's Liberty Lagoon will open for its 2026 season tomorrow with a lazy river, refurbished slides and a renewed focus on safety. It will operate daily from noon to 6 p.m. through July on Government Street. WBRZ
REAL ESTATE NEWS
- ➤ Bianca Padilla’s unit at Zachary Parkside Apartments was flooded with sewage in March and now faces ongoing mold and repair failures (her eviction hearing is set for Tuesday) as other tenants report similar issues. WBRZ
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ LSU announced it added former national championship coach Ed Orgeron as a special assistant to recruiting & defense for its football team; he worked with Lane Kiffin and led the Tigers to the 2019 title. WJBO
-
Post Malone & Jelly Roll Concert
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Tiger Stadium — Ticket prices vary — Experience genre-bending performances from Post Malone and Jelly Roll in an electrifying show.
-
OAL Annual Convention - Baton Rouge
All day — Crowne Plaza Executive Center — Registration required — Engage in valuable discussions and networking during this annual convention for the Optometry Association of Louisiana.
-
Capital City Blues Extravaganza featuring Tucka
7:30-9 p.m. — Raising Cane's River Center — Ticket information TBA — An unforgettable night of blues and soul awaits in Baton Rouge.
-
Balmora Concert Featuring Contention, Holder, and Azshara
3 AM – 8 PM — Mid City Ballroom — Ticket prices vary — Experience an exciting lineup with Balmora and special guests in Baton Rouge.
-
Cereal Box Collage Art Workshop
2-4 p.m. — West Baton Rouge Parish Library Main Branch — Free entry — Create colorful collages with pop artist Michael Albert in this fun hands-on workshop for kids and families.
-
SHAGGED MARRIED ANNOYED with Chris & Rosie Ramsey
9:00 – 10:30 PM — Texas Club — Ticketed event — Enjoy a night of laughter with Chris & Rosie Ramsey's comedic performance.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
It is better to travel well than to arrive.
Know who said this? Send us an email!
Reveal the authorAbout Daily Baton Rouge
Welcome to the Daily Baton Rouge, your community newsletter that's anything but snooze-worthy, packed with positive, impactful local news + events across the Baton Rouge, Louisiana community. If you like the Daily Baton Rouge, support us by subscribing to our email newsletter and sharing us with your friends and family in Baton Rouge.
Advertising Opportunities
Advertising with us will make sure you stay at the top of everyone's mind—in Baton Rouge and across Louisiana. You can learn more here. We'll work together to build a custom plan to hit your goals this year.
Alternatively, you can submit events, announcements, real estate listings, and job postings. We'll include them in our newsletter on whichever dates you like.
Community, delivered
Our hyper-local media company activates communities through daily email newsletters that curate the most positive, impactful local news + events – all for free.
Subscribe to Daily Baton Rouge
A free Baton Rouge community newsletter.
- Daily local news
- We curate the most positive, impactful local news + events.
- 6AM City
- A publication of 6AM City, the nation's leading local newsletter-first media network. Nominate your city.
© 6AM City Inc. 2025. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. Questions? Contact us here
Sitemap: https://dailybatonrouge.com/sitemap