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West Baton Rouge Parish Proposes 15% Sewer Rate Hike — The First in 18 Years
News

West Baton Rouge Parish Proposes 15% Sewer Rate Hike — The First in 18 Years

West Baton Rouge Parish is proposing its first sewer rate increase since 2008 — 15 percent, adding about $3.54 a month for the average residential customer. The state originally wanted 95 percent. Here's how the parish got it down.

John Summers April 06, 2026
Port Allen Council Approves Sewer Budget Amendment, Suspends Late Fees at Special Meeting
Meeting Coverage

Port Allen Council Approves Sewer Budget Amendment, Suspends Late Fees at Special Meeting

Port Allen approved a $179,500 sewer budget amendment to cover blower replacements at the wastewater plant — and suspended late fees for customers hit with $800–$900 bills after January's freeze.

John Summers April 01, 2026
New Mississippi River Bridge Could Cost Up to $2 Billion; Financing Options Debated
Meeting Coverage

New Mississippi River Bridge Could Cost Up to $2 Billion; Financing Options Debated

A new Mississippi River bridge south of Baton Rouge could cost up to $2 billion. Three alignments are still in play, residents are pushing back on the one that cuts through 300-year-old wetlands, and nobody has figured out how to pay for it yet.

John Summers March 31, 2026
Addis Town Council hears drainage briefing, honors young hospital ambassador
Meeting Coverage

Addis Town Council hears drainage briefing, honors young hospital ambassador

Addis residents told the council they've lost tens of thousands of dollars to flooding — and parish officials showed up to brief them on what comes next. Plus: an 11-year-old Addis boy named a national Children's Miracle Network spokesperson gets his moment before the council.

John Summers March 30, 2026
WBR canals topped 100-year flood levels in March storm — what about north of the Intracoastal?
Meeting Coverage

WBR canals topped 100-year flood levels in March storm — what about north of the Intracoastal?

https://www.wbrindependent.com/wbr-canals-topped-100-year-flood-levels-in-march-storm-what-about-north-of-the-intracoastal/

John Summers March 26, 2026
Behind WBR's New Pursuit Alert System: A Crash That Killed Two Teenagers and the Families Fighting for Change
News

Behind WBR's New Pursuit Alert System: A Crash That Killed Two Teenagers and the Families Fighting for Change

Excerpt: Two Brusly teenagers were killed on New Year's Eve 2022 when a law enforcement pursuit ended in a crash. Three years later, their families helped push the WBR Sheriff's Office to launch a real-time pursuit alert system — and they say it's only the beginning.

John Summers March 25, 2026
Port Allen Woman Wanted on Theft Charge Shows Up in Comments Section of Her Own Wanted Post
News

Port Allen Woman Wanted on Theft Charge Shows Up in Comments Section of Her Own Wanted Post

A Port Allen woman stole a car from a repo agent, said "see ya buddy," and then showed up in the comments section of her own police wanted post to correct her weight and post a meme about going viral.

John Summers March 24, 2026
Brusly Council Closes Out Sewer Lagoon Dispute, Tables Staffing Contract
News

Brusly Council Closes Out Sewer Lagoon Dispute, Tables Staffing Contract

Brusly voted 4-1 to pay a $506,000 sewer lagoon bill nobody could fully itemize, tabled a staffing contract the town attorney said was too poorly written to sign, and approved health insurance that went up nearly 16 percent.

John Summers March 24, 2026
West Baton Rouge Robotics Team Finishes Second at Regional Competition
News

West Baton Rouge Robotics Team Finishes Second at Regional Competition

FRC Team 10217 from West Baton Rouge Career Academy finished second at a regional robotics competition in Mississippi — in just the program's second year. Ten students. Months of work. A reputation for helping every other team in the building.

John Summers March 23, 2026

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© 2025 WBR Independent. Published by West River Solutions LLC. Port Allen, Louisiana. Principle, not politics.

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