with Kelly P. Kissel | Metro editorHappy Lundi Gras, and we trust you are in line for a good Mardi Gras as well. Here are some of today's top stories in Baton Rouge.
Help wantedEast Baton Rouge is having trouble filling a number of its vacant positions. With the pandemic receding and the economy picking up again, the city-parish says that nearly 1 in 5 of its government jobs sit vacant. Paul Cobler breaks down some of the numbers here, along with potential solutions.
Parade time, times twoParades in Port Allen and Plaquemine were the main Mardi Gras celebrations in the Baton Rouge area yesterday. Check out Travis Spradling's photos. See Comogo (Plaquemine) photos here. See Good Friends of the Oaks (Port Allen) here.
Important poetry collectionWe promoted this story in our newsletter this morning, and it's still worth a mention. LSU has acquired one of the largest collections of African-American poetry. Terell Wilkins describes the acquisition, which includes a book that once belonged to Frederick Douglass and works from 1950 Pulitzer Prize winner Gwendolyn Brooks.
Enjoy your time away from the grindstone. Happy Mardi Gras! | 
