Joy and Mike Ruckman opened Ship-N-Mail Center at 540 Court St. in Port Allen — the first one-stop shipping and business services center on the West Bank. Mike is a Navy veteran. The community showed up for the ribbon cutting.
May 13, 2026
Two Brusly officers received Life Saving Awards Monday night, but the full story includes a cardiac arrest, four doses of Narcan, and five more first responders who deserve recognition too.
May 12, 2026
Port Allen's finance director presented a plan to formalize utility payment arrangements — fixing a problem auditors have flagged for years. The committee also heard about a $13,000 Lexipol correction, four police hires, and a budget focused on sewer repairs.
May 11, 2026
One year in. Editor John Summers reflects on what it took to build West Baton Rouge's only independent news publication — and what's coming in year two.
May 11, 2026
$6.6 million separates two proposed sites — and the clock is ticking. Port Allen residents weighed in on where to build a new sewer treatment plant. The 65-year-old facility is failing, and the city says it can't wait much longer.
May 06, 2026
By John Summers | May 6, 2026 PORT ALLEN — The rain wasn't going to stop them. Despite the rain, a good turnout of runners and walkers gathered at Jack's Place on Thursday evening for the annual Running for Rachael 5K, a walk and run held in honor
May 05, 2026
By John Summers | May 2, 2026 PORT ALLEN — Syreeta Neal grew up in a family where music wasn't something you studied first. You sang first, and figured out the theory later. That philosophy is at the center of Sunday Chanté, a free monthly singing circle for women that
May 02, 2026
By John Summers | WBR Independent | April 30, 2026 PORT ALLEN — West Baton Rouge Parish residents will have a say on whether to keep funding their local public health unit after the Parish Council voted Thursday to call a special election on a property tax renewal — one of several action items
April 30, 2026
By John Summers | WBR Independent April 26, 2026 PORT ALLEN — When disaster strikes in West Baton Rouge Parish, the American Red Cross has no one here to respond. That was the message Burk Hughes, disaster programs manager for the Red Cross capital area, delivered to the Port Allen Neighborhood Watch
April 28, 2026
