🌱 Patch AM: Is East Baton Rouge’s Family Court really as clean as claimed?

What's up Baton Rouge! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Is East Baton Rouge’s Family Court really as clean as claimed?
• How new Border Patrol raids are shaking Baton Rouge neighborhoods and businesses
• How a Baton Rouge fence job turned into a life-changing shooting

Also on today's calendar: Bonsai Workshop at Agile Brewing and 1 more event.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Intervals of clouds and sun, with a high of 63 and low of 43 degrees.
• Friday: Partly sunny and pleasant, temps: high: 74, low: 55.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 73 and low of 55 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Corruption in East Baton Rouge family court? Louisiana Supreme Court weighs in. (nola.com) — State leaders are wrestling over how East Baton Rouge’s Family Court is run, with a new Louisiana Supreme Court report finding no major corruption while a dissenting justice sharply criticizes the court’s culture and favoritism. The review highlights concerns about transcript fees, judicial behavior, and even raises the possibility of legislative changes or livestreaming future proceedings, all of which could affect how local divorce and custody cases are handled.
   

2. Border Patrol operations reach metro Baton Rouge (wafb.com) — Border Patrol’s Operation Catahoula Crunch has reached metro Baton Rouge, with visible arrests in Gardere and nearby Gonzales that are already scaring off customers at a local food market. One immigrant-owned store describes a sharp drop in business and growing fear among Honduran regulars as federal agents conduct early-morning roundups targeting undocumented residents across the greater Baton Rouge area.
   

3. Baton Rouge shooting victim speaks out months after suspect is arrested (louisianafirstnews.com) — A Baton Rouge construction worker is speaking publicly after surviving a terrifying shooting on 24th and Laurel Street, now that an alleged getaway driver is in custody. He describes the moment a gun was pressed to his head and says the emotional trauma lingers, but urges the community to come together to reduce violence in the city.
   

4. Insurance backdated, car repaired after call to 2 On Your Side (wbrz.com) — A paramedic who works for East Baton Rouge EMS finally got his car repaired after State Farm initially denied coverage over a paperwork mistake. Following his call to a consumer-help segment, the insurer backdated his policy and covered the damage, offering a cautionary tale for Baton Rouge drivers who rely on accurate insurance records.
   

5. St. George council delays vote on proposed utility franchise fee (theadvocate.com) — St. George’s council has delayed voting on a proposed 5% DEMCO franchise fee that could raise some residents’ power bills and potentially influence future utility charges. The debate repeatedly references existing Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish franchise deals, as residents question whether the new fee amounts to a backdoor tax and officials argue it would fund roads, drainage, and utility oversight.
   

📸 Around Baton Rouge

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Baton Rouge

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday December 13

• 4th Annual Listening Room Film Festival
  Henry Turner Jr's Listening Room, 2733 North St, Baton Rouge
  3:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday December 13

• Do The Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl in Baton Rouge
  Somewhere Neighborhood Bar , 214 3rd St Suite 1B , Baton Rouge
  4:30 pm

Sunday December 14

• Bonsai Workshop at Agile Brewing
  Agile Brewing 14141 Airline Hwy #4J Baton Rouge, LA 70817
  1:00 pm

Tuesday December 16

• Taxicab Control Board Meeting
  Baton Rouge, LA Calendar Baton Rouge, LA 70802
  9:00 am

📣 Baton Rouge Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 11

• Holiday Pop-Up Bar at The Queen Baton Rouge
  The Queen Baton Rouge , 1717 River Park Blvd , Baton Rouge
  4:00 pm
• Steve Judice, Ryan Harris, Jason Harrington
  La Divina Italian Coffee Cafe , 3535 Perkins Rd STE 360 , Baton Rouge
  6:00 pm
• Mamma Mania - NYCs Premiere ABBA Celebration
  Chelsea's Live , 1010 Nicholson Dr , Baton Rouge
  7:00 pm

Friday December 12

• December Open Water Scuba Class Continued
  Underwater Adventures , 10699 Airline Hwy suite B , Baton Rouge
  6:00 pm
• Let's Go Party! Diva Event
  Painting with a Twist , 711 Jefferson Hwy Ste 3A , Baton Rouge
  7:30 pm
• The Silly Rabbit Comedy Club Presents: Shaun Jones
  The Silly Rabbit Comedy Club , 9945 Airline Hwy # C , Baton Rouge
  8:15 pm

Saturday December 13

• Lil Sticker Cheer Clinic - Baton Rouge, LA 2025
  St. Joseph's Academy , 3015 Broussard St , Baton Rouge
  9:00 am
• *Family Day: FROSTY 1.5 hr public event
  Painting with a Twist , 711 Jefferson Hwy Ste 3A , Baton Rouge
  1:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Do You Have “The Answer?” Find Out at Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation’s Premier Gala —Ernie Ballard Read on Patch

• Grand rising.
  Happy Wednesday every one Let’s have. A great beautiful day. I know we all are dealing with some challenging times. So. I got blessed so in… (Nextdoor Red Oak)
• A few weeks ago, I posted that I had found a “dead” possum in the street in front of my house.
  I pulled him to the side of the road. Later that day, I went out to get my mail and he was gone! Several of you gave me ideas to believe that he… (Nextdoor Hickory Ridge)

• P.F. Chang's China Bistro posted a job opening for Expeditor in Baton Rouge. Apply here.
• Allied Universal posted a job opening for Janitor - Full Time in Baton Rouge. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Baton Rouge here.

Ok Baton Rouge! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

• Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
• Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
• List items for sale or services offered

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook