🌱 Baton Rouge Walmart Evacuated + BRPD Investigates Shooting

Good morning, hello! I'm back in your inbox this warm morning with your fresh copy of the Baton Rouge Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Some sun, a t-storm; humid. High: 96 Low: 77.
• Wednesday: Humid with partial sunshine. High: 94 Low: 74.

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Here are the top four stories today in Baton Rouge:

1. On Monday morning, Jun. 12, the Walmart store on College Drive was evacuated after smoke was seen coming from air condition vents. The Baton Rouge Fire Department (BRFD) found there was no fire, called an HVAC technician, and then returned authority back to the store manager. No injuries were reported during the incident and according to BRFD, the investigation is ongoing. (WAFB)
2. The Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) is investigating a shooting that occurred in the 6300 block of Prescott Road at about 1:45 a.m. on Monday, Jun. 12. According to BRPD, a man was taken to the hospital after he was shot in the arm and is expected to survive his injuries. (BRProud.com)
3. On Jun. 8, 22-year-old Jahavez Taylor of Baton Rouge was arrested in connection to the May 15 shooting that injured a three-year-old and seven-year-old. According to BRPD, the investigation discovered that Taylor was caring for several children on the night of the incident and the children fired a weapon that was left on the kitchen counter. Taylor was charged with two counts of negligent injuring and one count of obstruction of justice. (BRProud.com)
4. Deputies charged Joy Johnson after she made multiple attempts to sneak inside East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and West Baton Rouge Parish Detention Center. According to authorities, Johnson attempted to sneak into West Baton Rouge prison in January by pretending to be a licensed attorney, but she was turned away by guards because she did not have a law license. In May, Johnson tried to enter East Baton Rouge Parish Prison in the same way and deputies arrested her. She is facing two counts of false personification and was issued a criminal summons instead of being taken to jail. (WAFB)

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Today and tomorrow in Baton Rouge:

Tuesday, June 13

• Kids Camp Day 2: Saurolophos At Painting With A Twist (11:00 AM)
• Create Your Own Candle Workshop With Steel Magnolia Candle Co. At The Royal Standard (11:30 AM)

Wednesday, June 14

• CLOUD RAT With THOU At Chelsea’s Live (6:00 PM)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

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From my notebook:

• Ever wondered what it would be like to drink craft beer while walking around BREC’S Baton Rouge Zoo? Well, now you can find out! Baton Rouge Zoo announced its 9th annual Brew at the Zoo will take place Friday, Sep. 29, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.! Don't miss the food tastings, beer tastings, live music, and more. Tickets will go on sale Aug. 14. (BRProud.com)
• Looking for a new restaurant to try out in Baton Rouge? Check out The Advocate's list of "Go-to favorite dishes in Baton Rouge and Acadiana" at the link, including The Little Italy Board from BLDG 5, Little Saigon's Charbroiled pork banh mi, Butter chicken and the onion dosa at Bay Leaf, and more. (The Advocate)
• Looking for a new place to call home or just curious about the prices in your area? It's always good to stay up-to-date on the local real estate market! Check out the latest homes for sale in the Baton Rouge area, including a three-bedroom on Sugar Mill Avenue for $215,000. (Baton Rouge Patch)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you soon for another update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.