Baton Rouge Parents Magazine—December 2024

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CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE DIOCESE OF BATON ROUGE HELPS FAMILIES AND SENIORS Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge is helping Baton Rouge families and seniors in need this holiday season. In September, more than 500 families and clients were screened and verified by the group. Donors who chose to participate were asked to choose recipient families to buy gifts for based on the wish lists provided. Most recipients listed necessities like shoes, clothes, and personal items, but some also included gifts for children like toys and dolls. Gifts will be delivered from December 2–6 and Monday, December 9. ■ ccdiobr.org

LSU STUDENTS, ALUMNUS LAUNCH AI APP TO SIMPLIFY AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR FARMERS

CANGELOSI DANCE PROJECT PRESENTS HOLIDAY NUTCRACKER PRODUCTION The Cangelosi Dance Project will present their annual Holiday Nutcracker on Sunday, December 15 at the Dunham Theatre with shows at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Kris Cangelosi, the artistic director, created the plot and choreographed the entire production using traditional narrative, as well as added fun holiday images. The production tells the story of a young girl named Clara who receives a pair of pointe shoes for Christmas. Her magical uncle gives her a Nutcracker doll as her party gift where she shows it off to all until her rebel brother breaks her doll. A noteworthy scene of the production includes the battle scene between the Mice and Soldiers. ■ cangelosidanceproject.com

A startup led by an LSU alumni and two current students is transforming how farmers and agricultural professionals access essential information. FarmSmart, an AI-powered app currently in beta testing, helps to streamline complex research from dense agricultural documents into fast, user-friendly responses available at the touch of a button. The idea for FarmSmart came after then- LSU student Colin Raby had a conversation with Professor David Stevenson at the LSU AgCenter. There was a common trend being noticed: Many of the farmers weren’t consulting the AgCenter’s annual guide—a comprehensive, 500-page document detailing best practices of crop management and pest control. With FarmSmart, the goal is to exceed the quality of the best agricultural consultants. ■ lsu.edu

NEW HOSPITAL COMING TO LIVINGSTON PARISH IN 2027

Baton Rouge General is planning to build a new facility on Juban Road at I-12 in Denham Springs. This hospital plan will include a 40,000 square-foot facility, with a 14-bed emergency room, 12-bed inpatient hospital, outpatient services like imaging and lab, as well as physician practices. To move forward, Baton Rouge General needs approval from the Livingston Parish Planning Commission. Once approved, groundbreaking for the new facility will begin in early 2025, with opening planned for 2027. ■ brgeneral.org

10 DECEMBER2024 | BRPARENTS.COM

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