Reducing recidivism: The Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation announced today the awarding of $1 million in Prison Reentry Initiative investments for 2016 to organizations in the Greater Baton Rouge area that work to reduce recidivism in the state with the highest incarceration percentage in the world. According to a news release, among the groups that received money are the Awana Clubs International, which received $40,000 for its programs to reduce the generational prison pipeline.
Top of the class: Baton Rouge has been named as one of the top 10 cities in the country for first-time homebuyers because of its low housing cost and unemployment rates, according to The Money Source. The firm touts Baton Rouge’s median home price of slightly more than $151,000 and the fact that jobs in the health care, technology and education sectors have become more prevalent. The company compiled the list based on a review of more than 70,000 loan applications, and city-specific data like median home prices, unemployment rates and quality of life.
New project: G2X Energy, a developer of advanced natural gas to methanol projects, will break ground on its Big Lakes Fuels Plant on Wednesday afternoon in Lake Charles. The ceremony signals the start of the first phase of construction of the world-scale methanol production plant for the Houston-based company. Once completed, the plant is projected to produce 1.4 million metric tons of commercial grade methanol per year, and will be able to convert methanol to gasoline in the future.
