Building on our previous reporting about civil service violations in WBR's fire chief hiring, new evidence reveals the full scope of why parish officials were willing to bypass legal requirements for Butch Browning. The Bigger Picture As WBR Independent previously reported, Parish President Riley "Peewee" Berthelot
August 27, 2025
WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH – Motorists should expect intermittent lane closures on LA 1 both northbound and southbound Tuesday and Wednesday nights next week as the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development prepares for the next traffic switch in the ongoing Intracoastal Bridge replacement project. When and Where * Dates: Tuesday, September
August 26, 2025
Construction contract comes in $2M over target but board locks in pricing amid rising inflation PORT ALLEN — The West Baton Rouge Parish School Board unanimously approved a $25,069,200 guaranteed maximum price for the Cohn project Tuesday night, despite the cost coming in several million dollars higher than originally
August 26, 2025
Parish bypassed eligible candidates, ignored State Examiner warnings, proposes part-time "fix" Bottom Line Up Front: West Baton Rouge Parish has used a contractor arrangement for Fire Chief duties for over three years, ignoring Louisiana civil service law requirements. An emergency Fire Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August
August 25, 2025
Multi-parish investigation recovers 11 firearms, leads to charges against teenagers WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH — Four suspects, including three juveniles, face burglary charges after a string of vehicle break-ins Thursday morning yielded at least 15 stolen firearms and prompted a round-the-clock investigation spanning multiple parishes. Sheriff Jeff Bergeron announced the arrests
August 23, 2025
Bottom Line Up Front: Governor Jeff Landry highlighted confirmed improvements in Louisiana's national rankings at Tuesday's West Baton Rouge Chamber event, including a jump from 31st to 18th in economic outlook and from 49th to 32nd in education, while outlining infrastructure financing strategies to business leaders.
August 21, 2025
Town lands major capital outlay projects after years of advocacy while maintaining strong financial position ADDIS — The Town of Addis secured $10.5 million in state capital outlay funding for two major infrastructure projects while receiving a clean audit report that shows strong financial management despite significant litigation costs, officials
August 20, 2025
Three fatalities in 15 months, two tied to suspected contraband, prompt policy changes PORT ALLEN — The West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office has announced security reforms after three inmate deaths in 15 months, with two occurring in just six months, raised serious questions about contraband entering the detention center.
August 19, 2025
Port Allen partnership with United Riders creates successful inaugural cycling event PORT ALLEN – Dozens of cyclists gathered at Cohn Elementary School Saturday evening for the first community bike ride organized through a partnership between the City of Port Allen and United Riders Bike Club of Baton Rouge. The August 2nd
August 19, 2025
