Expanded offering: Business First Bancshares Inc. this morning announced it’s expanding the size of the underwritten public stock offering made Monday from 900,000 to 1,050,000 shares, at $24 per share. The Baton Rouge-based bank anticipates netting approximately $23.4 million from the offering, and plans to use a portion of the proceeds to fund the $10.6 million cash portion of its acquisition of Richland State Bank, also announced Monday. In total, the cash and stock deal is worth about $50.8 million. Business First expects to close the offering, subject to customary conditions, on or about June 7. Get more details.
Action!: The reality TV show Nightwatch, which depicts the duties of overnight paramedics, will start filming in Baton Rouge on Thursday, WAFB-TV reports. The show will feature medics from East Baton Rouge EMS responding to emergency calls throughout the city. EMS spokesperson Michael Chustz says filming will last for 10 weeks and the network A&E anticipates airing 10 episodes this fall. Chustz says 13 medics have been chosen to be featured on the show: Peter Colina, George Steffensen, Nicole Jagers, Nikki Johnson, Lacey Spencer, Megan Duke, Alyssa Toucey, Ramon Cooper, Haley Fisher, Demerrius Slocum, Hillary Duncan, and Kasie Tadlock. The Metro Council approved a contract with the show’s producers on March 28. Nightwatch premiered in 2015 and filmed often in New Orleans. Read the full story.
‘Down South Jukin’: Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour is set to perform at the Raising Cane’s River Center in Baton Rouge Dec. 7, the producers announced this morning. The tour last month in West Palm Beach, Florida, and includes over 50 stops. The concert is one of several events taking place in the city that weekend. Tickets for the Baton Rouge performance go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at livenation.com.
