The Advocate's Top Headlines

with Matthew Albright | Assistant metro editor

Good morning! Let's get you caught up on all the biggest news from yesterday. 

Getting ready for the big I-10 work

The much-anticipated project to widen I-10 near the College Drive exit could ease often-nightmarish traffic in that area. But, while the work is underway, things are going to be even worse for awhile.

So state leaders are trying to find ways to get fewer people on the roads during that time. One possible solution? Taking some state workers to a staggered four-day work week.

This story explains how it would work. 

Major expansion at Our Lady of the Lake

The region's largest hospital announced Monday that it plans to build a $100 million, 80,000-square-foot cancer center.

The announcement comes after Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center said it was ending its affiliation with the hospital. 

This story explains what the cancer center will look like, what it will do, and what it means for health care in the Baton Rouge region. 

One big reason overdose deaths are soaring

Deaths from drug overdoses have soared in Baton Rouge and around the country in recent years. One big reason: fentanyl, a dangerously potent synthetic opioid, is becoming more common.

Local health and law enforcement leaders say they're seeing fentanyl emerge even in non-opioid drugs. This story has the latest numbers on the opioid epidemic and what is driving them. 

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!