Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- Crowds gather Thursday to listen to dignitaries speak during the ribbon-cutting ceremonies at the renovated Baton Rouge High School School's grand opening.

Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING -- Jerry Hampton, a warehouse worker at Olinde's Furniture, 9536 Airline Highway, sits on a shopping cart on Old Hammond Highway Thursday as he waits for a CATS bus to take him to the downtown terminal, then home for the day. He chose the carts because they were in the inviting cool of a shade tree, a stone's throw from the bus stop shelter.

Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND -- Waitari Marsh helps Ethan Dean, 6, learn how to make a basket Thursday during a Developmental League session at Team Sportsplex, located in BREC's Perkins Road Community Park. The new recreation center has been open for three weeks. To sign up for activities, visit www.teamsportsplex.net.

Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND -- Charlie Roth, 9, goes for a basket while playing in a Developmental League Thursday with, from left, Christopher Herman, 9, Chris Richardson, 8, and Roman Mula, 9, at Team Sportsplex. The new recreation center is in BREC's Perkins Road Community Park and has been open for three weeks. To sign up for activities, visit www.teamsportsplex.net.

Advocate staff photo by RICHARD ALAN HANNON -- BREC sports turf foreman Steve Ramirez, left, uses a paint machine to stripe Memorial Stadium's new grass turf as Roosevelt Parker looks on Thursday. Approximately 20 gallons of paint are laid down every Friday in preparation for each weekend's game

Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING -- 'Milo,' left, a three-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, and 'Dismis,' a one-year-old Samoyed, cavort near a wading pool Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, at Raising Cane's Dog Park at BREC's City Park. Each dog's owner, Emily Smith and Paul Rosenbloom, respectively, said they bring their dog to the park regularly, and that the dogs seem to get along well.

Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- LSU student Dylan Vaughn, 20, a microbiology major from Shreveport, shops for posters Tuesday during the LSU Union's week-long poster sale, Tuesday. The sale will continue 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday.

Advocate staff photo by RICHARD ALAN HANNON -- Opening anticipated - Arnold Antonio with Pride Construction of Memphis, Tenn. works to help erect the new Hampton Inn & Suites at Lafayette and Main streets in downtown Baton Rouge Wednesday. The 137-room hotel is scheduled to open this year.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- Angela Causey, right, a pre-med student from New Orleans, is all smiles Thursday while moving into her Herget Hall dorm room with help from her mother, Cassandra Parker, from left; her father, Terry Causey; and her brother, Trey Causey, 11.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- LSU freshman Carlie Hutti, right, of Covington and majoring in elementary education, gets help from her grandmother, Sue Hutti, as she carries items to her Herget Hall dorm room Thursday.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- Calvin Blount sits in his airplane, which is now parked at Baton Rouge Metro Airport. Livingston Parish is looking at building an airport, which would be a plus for Blount, a parish resident.

Advocate staff photo by JAMES MINTON -- Former Angola pumping station employee Thomas Hill points out some of the features of an 820-horsepower diesel engine during a recent meeting of Angola inmates and outside experts who will work to restore this engine for the Angola Museum.

Advocate staff photo by JAMES MINTON -- Angola inmate machinist Jeff Haggins, in white cap, questions former Angola employee Thomas Hill about the workings of a 740-horsepower diesel engine, one of three that once powered electrical generators and drainage pumps at Louisiana State Penitentiary. With the two are inmate technicians, from back to front, Donald Wayne Holton, Jake Ortego, Freddie Wilbert and Charles Winfree.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- Incoming LSU freshman Isaiah Alexander, of Lake Charles, says receiving a TOPS scholarship, which pays for his tuition, factored into his decision to attend a Louisiana college. TOPS supporters say the program rewards high achievers and keeps students in the state. Some state legislators, good government groups and a national financial aid expert say that TOPS is unsustainable as its costs rise each year.

Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIG -- LSU senior Brooke James, of Franklin, said she wouldn't have been able to go to college without a TOPS award. The program which pays the tuition and some fees for high school students who meet certain academic targets will cost the state roughly $168 million this year and an estimated $233 million in five years.

Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND -- The Rev. William King prays with the children and mentors participating in Project R.I.D.E. Saturday at the 5D Western Store in Zachary. The Louisiana Business and Community Alliance partnered with the ministry to provide an equestrian academy for inner city children. Participating are, from left, Eathan Martin, 16; Preston Fondren, 16; Ashton Kennedy, 16; Michael Rayburn, 17; Brendon Bridgewater, 12; Rev. King, Corneisha Cummings, 8, on horse; Jansen Browning, 16, behind horse; president of LBCA Harold Williams, coach Ron Lewis, and Marleah Holmes, 14.

Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND -- Markia Stevenson, 15, tentatively mounts a horse during Project R.I.D.E. Saturday. Markia said she has never been on a horse, and was nervous at first because it was so big. After the ride she said she realized how gentle and smart the animal was.

Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING -- LSU freshman Christopher McVicker, 18, of Lacassine, paints a pole near Glasgow Middle School's office during Saturday's Volunteer LSU Community Bound Program. McVicker was among hundreds of LSU feshman class volunteers who joined in sprucing up nine Baton Rouge public schools during the 10th annual program.