Where all the lights are bright: Due to a number of events going on downtown Friday, including the sold-out Elton John concert at the River Center and the weekend-long Omega Psi Fraternity District Conference, DDD is advising motorists to use alternate routes this weekend—and to plan on arriving early at their destinations. North Boulevard, Convention Street, Florida Boulevard, Laurel Street, Highland Road, North Street and River Road are all suggested alternative routes. With parking expected to be tight, DDD offers a directory of lots to consider here.
Closing time: Alexandria-based Red River Bank has cleared all the hurdles necessary to complete its acquisition of Baton Rouge-based Fidelity Bank. The acquisition, which was first announced in November, will make Red River the seventh-largest community bank in the state, with $1.3 billion in assets. It also marks Red River’s entrance into the Baton Rouge market and brings the total number of bank branches throughout the state to 20 across six parishes. Red River has more info on the acquisition here.
Respite: BP’s cement contractor on the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 will continue presenting its defense next week at a trial over the deadly catastrophe. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier heard testimony Wednesday by a Halliburton employee who was a cementing engineer for the company and visited the Deepwater Horizon rig before BP’s well blowout. The trial started Feb. 25 and is scheduled to resume Tuesday after a break for Easter. BP is expected to start calling its own witnesses once Halliburton rests its case.
Today’s poll question: Do you think the Louisiana superintendent of education should be an elected position, as Monroe Republican Sen. Bob Kostelka is proposing?
Editor’s note: In observance of the holiday weekend, Daily Report will not be published on Friday.
