‘Passion and distinction’: Popular restaurateur and former East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council member Rodney “Smokie” Bourgeois died at 78 years on Sunday, WBRZ-TV reports. Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said in a statement today that “Councilman Bourgeois served his district with passion and distinction during his time on the metro council. He was a local business owner who cared deeply for our community. His loved ones are in my thoughts and prayers today.” Bourgeois, the founder of George’s restaurant in Baton Rouge, served as a council member to District 12 and ran for mayor in 2016. Read more about his legacy here.
Accolades: AdWeek has ranked Baton Rouge-based ThreeSixtyEight No. 50 on its annual “Adweek 100: Fastest Growing Agencies” list. The annual list honors top advertising and marketing agencies whose industry presence is on the rise. See the list here.
Highways: Gov. John Bel Edwards and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Shawn D. Wilson announced the start of the widening and overlay project along Interstate 12 in St. Tammany Parish. Once completed, phase one of the project will widen 3.023 miles of pavement surface from U.S. 190 to LA 59 into the median. Phase two, which will widen I-12 from U.S. 190 to LA 21, is expected to begin construction in the coming weeks. James Construction Group, LLC is the contractor for phase one. The project, which costs more than $54 million, is expected to be completed within two and a half years and is funded by federal redistribution funds and grants.
