Jackson Free Press

Last week, Highland Village announced the arrival of popular jewelry designer Kendra Scott to the shopping center, with the store's opening slated for summer 2017. Kendra Scott will occupy the storefront between the Buffalo Peak Outfitters entrance and Lululemon.

Highland Village will modernize the look of the Promenade storefront facing Whole Foods in preparation for Kendra Scott, removing the building's exterior overhang above the entrance to Buffalo Peak Outfitters. Renovations will also involve straightening the corridor and adding more glass to the entrance to give Buffalo Peak greater visibility and "a more open feel," a press release says.

The renovations began Dec. 27 and will last for several weeks, during which time Buffalo Peak customers will have to access the store through the building's Maison Weiss entrance. For more information, call 601-982-5861 or visit highlandvillagems.com.

Baker Donelson Makes Fortune's Best Workplaces for Parents List

Fortune magazine recently named Baker Donelson to its first-ever list of the 50 best workplaces for parents. The firm ranked 43rd on the list, which is based on employee feedback and benefits that companies provide to help mothers and fathers participate fully in their organizations.

The 50 Best Workplaces for Parents list, which Fortune published in partnership with consulting firm Great Place to Work, is based on feedback from 122,482 working parents at Great Places to Work-certified companies who completed a Trust Index Employee Survey. Mothers, fathers and their colleagues answered 58 questions about the day-to-day workplace experience, including its quality of benefits, the fairness of opportunities for professional development and advancement, and an overall assessment of the workplace.

Baker Donelson's parent-friendly policies include a parental-leave policy that offers 16 weeks of paid leave for male and female attorneys to take as primary caregivers and which also allows intermittent leave for both primary and non-primary caregiver attorneys. Baker Donelson also puts parental leave mentors in place in every office to help attorneys transition in and out of leave. The firm is also figuring out how to implement free express breast milk shipping for mothers who travel for business.

Earlier this year, Baker Donelson also made Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list for a seventh consecutive year and was also named to Fortune's 100 Best Workplaces for Women for a second consecutive year. Baker Donelson is also ranked ninth in the country on Vault's Best Law Firms for Diversity list, and Vault also ranks it sixth in the country for Diversity for Women.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield Funds Healthy Heroes Initiative

The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation has partnered with the Hinds County Sheriff's Office to support local law-enforcement officers and first responders with the Healthy Heroes Initiative, which will also help encourage healthy lifestyle habits for children. The Blue Cross & Blue Shield foundation funded the initiative with a $150,000 grant.

Healthy Heroes aims to improve the quality of life for members of the sheriff's office and its employees and educate the community about the importance of healthy eating and exercise. Hinds County officers will visit area schools to talk to students about making healthy food choices and participating in physical activity. The visits also include a celebratory fitness walk around the school. Participating officers will visit physical-education classes each month and lead exercises with students. The Hinds County Sheriff's Office is also hosting sporting events, walks and more.

Representatives from the Hinds County Sheriff's Department first attended a Healthy Heroes Training Conference at the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi's main campus in August, where the Mississippi Department of Education's Office of Healthy Schools provided training. The Hinds County Sheriff's Office was one of 10 agencies at the conference.

To learn more about the Healthy Heroes Initiative and efforts of the foundation, visit www.healthiermississippi.org.