By John Summers | WBR Independent April 14, 2026 Port Allen lost one of its own Monday when Mrs. Ray Helen Lawrence passed away, leaving behind a legacy that stretched from the science classroom to the city council chamber — and into the history books. The Port Allen Police Department confirmed her
April 14, 2026
The West Baton Rouge Parish Fire Protection District No. 1 reached a settlement Monday with former Deputy Fire Chief James Hartley Jr., bringing an end — at least for now — to a civil service appeal that raised serious questions about who had the authority to fire him in the first place.
April 13, 2026
A Veteran Came Home To everyone who shared a post, made a donation, showed up on a cold Saturday morning, or simply followed along and cheered from the sidelines — this story belongs to you as much as anyone. Thank you for caring about one of your neighbors. WEST BATON ROUGE
April 13, 2026
By John Summers The West Baton Rouge Parish Council met Thursday, March 26, at the Government Building in Port Allen, approving new rules for hotels and motels, updating building permit fees, and introducing a pair of ordinances set for public hearing April 9 — including a budget amendment to purchase land
April 09, 2026
ADDIS — Ianthia Washington, 72, has been identified as the woman killed Wednesday morning when a train struck her vehicle at a railroad crossing on La. 1 near the Dow Chemical plant, close to the Iberville Parish line. The crash was reported just before 7 a.m. Washington was the sole
April 08, 2026
Department's policy manual unchanged since 2001; contract would cost nearly $10,000 annually PORT ALLEN — The Port Allen City Council is expected to vote Wednesday on a contract that would bring the city's police department policy manual into the modern era — for nearly $10,000 a
April 08, 2026
Port Allen Rejects All Bids on Sewer Project — Every Bid Came in Over Budget Six contractors submitted bids; lowest still exceeded project estimate by $463,000 PORT ALLEN — The city of Port Allen will return to the bidding process on a federally funded sewer improvement project after all six bids
April 07, 2026
By John Summers | April 6, 2026 PORT ALLEN — West Baton Rouge Parish residents and businesses could see sewer bills increase by roughly 15 percent under an ordinance introduced at last week's Parish Council meeting — a hike that officials say they fought hard to keep as low as possible
April 06, 2026
Council also grants variance for Jefferson Street carport; new utility hire introduced PORT ALLEN — The Port Allen Mayor and City Council met in special session Wednesday, March 25, acting on three agenda items before adjourning with a round of announcements. The meeting was held at 5:30 p.m. in
April 01, 2026
BATON ROUGE — The Capital Area Road and Bridge District got its first public look at construction cost estimates Monday for a proposed new Mississippi River crossing south of Baton Rouge, with price tags ranging from $1.78 billion to $2.04 billion — and state officials beginning the harder conversation about
March 31, 2026
By John Summers | WBR Independent ADDIS — The Addis Town Council met March 10 for its regular monthly meeting, tackling a packed agenda that included a post-flood briefing from parish officials, a culvert replacement study, a community honor, and two ordinance introductions. Drainage West Baton Rouge Parish President Jason Manola and
March 30, 2026
The West Baton Rouge Parish Council held its regular meeting Thursday, March 12, at the Government Building in Port Allen, covering a full agenda that included drainage engineering updates, routine resolutions and a large crowd of residents voicing opposition to a rumored federal detention facility in the parish. The council
March 26, 2026
PORT ALLEN — The West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office launched a new real-time warning system Tuesday aimed at alerting drivers when law enforcement vehicles are nearby during emergencies and high-speed pursuits — a step the families of two teenagers killed in a 2022 Brusly pursuit crash called meaningful, but
March 25, 2026
PORT ALLEN — The Port Allen Police Department is searching for a local woman wanted on a motor vehicle theft charge after she drove off in a vehicle a repossession agent was in the process of reclaiming — and then appeared in the comments section of the department's own Facebook
March 24, 2026
Council approves $506,000 payment as project nears completion; road overlay, police hires also on agenda BRUSLY — The Brusly Town Council voted 4-1 Monday night to approve a $506,213.20 payment on the long-running sewer lagoon project, effectively settling a months-long dispute over an unitemized $47,356 balance tied
March 24, 2026
A West Baton Rouge robotics team returned home this weekend with a second-place finish after competing in a regional tournament in Mississippi, a strong result for a program still in just its second year. FRC Team 10217, based out of West Baton Rouge Career Academy and made up of students
March 23, 2026
Editor's Note: This is Part 4 of WBR Independent's ongoing coverage of Fire District No. 1. Part 1 covered the termination and appeal. Part 2 detailed the charges against Hartley. Part 3 examined the captains exam waiver. PORT ALLEN — The attorney for terminated West Baton Rouge
March 19, 2026
State links go nowhere near Louisiana — residents warned not to click, not to pay March 18, 2026 West Baton Rouge Parish residents are receiving fraudulent text messages impersonating the Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles, warning of imminent license suspensions and demanding payment through a link that has no connection to
March 18, 2026