🌱 River Road Getting New Walking Paths + Juneteenth Celebrations

Hey, neighbors! Nicole Fallon-Peek here with your fresh copy of the Baton Rouge Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out all the things you need to know about what's going on locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Heavy afternoon thunderstorms. High: 94 Low: 72.
• Sunday: Some sun. High: 90 Low: 74.

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Here are the top three stories today in Baton Rouge:

1. River Road in downtown will soon be more walkable. New walking paths are coming to the area, with one set to start at the Hilton and connect to the IBM building. The other new path will connect the Hollywood Casino to the Riverview Apartments. The Downtown Development District received a $100,000 grant for this project. Construction is expected to begin next year and should be concluded within three to six months. (WBRZ)
2. Baton Rouge has been celebrating Juneteenth for decades with grassroots events and this year, the celebrations have expanded to include events across several days. Today, Jun. 10, there will be a Kids Fest at Scotlandville Parkway. Next Thursday, Jun. 15, LSU Museum of Art will host a Juneteenth Panel Discussion at 6:00 p.m. There are several events scheduled for Saturday, Jun. 17, including Juneteenth Discovery Day at Capital Park Museum and a Juneteenth Celebration at Gus Young Park. (225 Magazine)
3. A recent report from QuoteWizard by LendingTree LLC indicates that Louisiana ranks 11th for the worst road infrastructure in the U.S. Analysts found that 23 percent of the state's roads and 9 percent of its bridges are in "poor shape." Baton Rouge Communications Officer Mark Armstrong said the city is making progress in improving transportation, citing the MOVEBR Transportation and Infrastructure Improvements Program. Launched in 2018, this is the biggest investment in transportation infrastructure in East Baton Rouge Parish's history. He also pointed to current road improvement projects, such as the Midway Boulevard and South Choctaw Drive Flannery Central Thruway projects. (Baton Rouge Proud)

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Today and tomorrow in Baton Rouge:

Saturday, June 10

• 225 Poetry Slam At Mid-City Artisans (5:30 PM)
• Flow Tribe At Chelsea's Live (9:00 PM)

Sunday, June 11

• Hilton's Drag Brunch At Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center (10:00 AM)
• ARTiculate At Baton Rouge Gallery (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Scotland Saturdays recently shared the lineup of artists for performances happening through Jul. 15 as part of the Levitt Amp Baton Rouge Music Series. Today, Jun. 10, Alfred Banks and Cleve will be playing, and on Jun. 17, Tiyah & the Third Eye Music Group take the stage. (Scotland Saturdays via Facebook)
• Baton Rouge Pride is seeking volunteers for the upcoming Pride Festival on Jun. 24. Click here to learn more or sign up. (Baton Rouge Pride via Facebook)
• Legally Blonde is now playing at Theatre Baton Rouge! Click here to find tickets and showtimes. (Theatre Baton Rouge via Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! 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.