Green is the color: The LSU AgCenter has been awarded a two-year, $1.25 million grant that will fund research and outreach projects aimed at reducing obesity and chronic diseases in Madison, St. Helena and Tensas parishes. The grant is from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Partner institutions working with the AgCenter include the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. The LSU AgCenter has more details on the grant award and the project it will fund.
Rolling on the river: The Downtown Development District has been awarded a Downtown Merit Award from the International Downtown Association for its work to improve access to the Mississippi River along River Road in downtown Baton Rouge. The project was among 16 entries in the Public Space category, which recognizes capital improvements that enhance the urban design, physical function or economic viability of downtown and the community. “The image of River Road in the downtown area has changed as it has become a ‘complete street’ used and appreciated by pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles,” says DDD Executive Director Davis Rhorer in a prepared statement.
In the hall: Ted Kergan of Lafayette-based Kergan Brothers Inc., which owns and operates 54 Sonic Drive-In restaurants in Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Acadiana and New Orleans, has been honored with the restaurant chain’s highest award. Kergan recently received the Troy Smith Hall of Fame Award, named after the Sonic Drive-In founder, at the company’s annual convention in Kansas City. The award is annually given to one franchisee who has worked with Sonic for many years and has “made a significant contribution in terms of leadership, growth, positive influence and brand image,” according to a press release, which has more details.
