“With the Metro Council approving annexations of the Mall of Louisiana—excluding its anchor tenants—as well as Our Lady of the Lake and Baton Rouge General hospitals into the City of Baton Rouge on Wednesday evening, the Committee to Incorporate the City of St. George is already working up estimates on how other annexations would impact the proposed city’s budget, says spokesperson Lionel Rainey III.” – Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

“So you can imagine that when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services turned down the hospital financing proposal by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to transform our 80-year-old charity system into something that actually works for patients, some more suspicions were raised. Was this just another chance to “stick it” to Louisiana and Jindal? Surely not.” – Rolfe McCollister/Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

“Mayor-President Kip Holden believes the problem with education in Baton Rouge isn’t the schools or the teachers, but the parents.” – WBRZ

“A revised plan for spending $3.5 billion on Louisiana’s public schools glided through the Senate Education Committee this morning. The same senators last week rejected the original plan in Senate Concurrent Resolution 55 presented by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Committee Chairman Sen. Conrad Appel objected because it included language that would require the Legislature to boost funding 2.75 percent if lawmakers reject a funding formula, known as the Minimum Foundation Program.” – Monroe News-Star

“Thought it was unusually cold this morning? You were right — record-setting cold in both Baton Rouge and New Orleans.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“New Orleans Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas on Wednesday fiercely defended the department’s handling of rape cases, questioning the methodology and expertise of independent auditors who found an “institutional problem” with how rapes are counted and reported.” – NOLA.com

“A bill that would mandate sex education in public schools was killed Wednesday by the House Education Committee. The vote was three in favor and 10 opposed.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“A New Orleans native has ascended to the top editorial post at The New York Times, the newspaper announced Wednesday. Dean Baquet, the son and brother of New Orleans restaurateurs and a former newspaper reporter in New Orleans, was named the newspaper’s executive editor Wednesday. Baquet, who serves as managing editor of the newspaper, will replace Jill Abramson.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“The deadline for people to file 2013 Louisiana income tax returns is here. The state Department of Revenue has issued a reminder that resident have until midnight to file individual income tax returns.” – WAFB

“Handgun permit holders in Louisiana will soon be allowed to bring loaded guns into restaurants that serve alcohol.” – Washington Post