89 posts
The WBR Fire Civil Service Board waived all certification requirements for an upcoming captains exam — citing a State Examiner recommendation. The State Examiner says she never made that recommendation for this exam. Part 3 of WBR Independent's Fire District investigation.
February 25, 2026
A viral council meeting moment brought outside attention to Port Allen's blighted properties — but Mayor Pattan says the enforcement work has been going on for years. Here's where a dozen active cases stand.
February 11, 2026
Port Allen's sewer plant is down to 2 of 5 blowers — and the city engineer calls the situation critical. Meanwhile the mayor is negotiating to buy land on Allendale and Court Street for a new plant, the first concrete site option in a years-long search.
February 10, 2026
Brusly's sewer lagoon contractor is in default and now wants money redirected to cover unauthorized bridge repairs — with no engineer verification that the bridge is even sound. Road overlay bids also came in over the state threshold, forcing a restart.
February 09, 2026
Port Allen hired a new CAO — a Port Allen native with a finance background — raised salaries for elected officials, and overhauled a longevity pay policy unchanged since 1962, all in its January meetings.
February 04, 2026
WBR Independent checked the claims in Parish President Jason Manola's State of the Parish address. Some hold up. Others are missing documentation, omit key context, or haven't been independently verified.
February 03, 2026
Editor's Note: This story reported on the unanimous preliminary plat approval in January 2026. The final plat was approved at the following month's meeting, with Councilwoman Bliss Bernard casting the lone dissenting vote. This story has been updated to reflect that clarification. April 16, 2026 The
January 27, 2026
Brusly's sewer lagoon contractor missed its December 31 deadline, leaving the project without a valid contract. The council debated whether to grant another extension or start the $300-per-day penalty clock — with one member saying he'd had enough.
January 12, 2026
Port Allen's December council meetings certified the police tax renewal, introduced salary increases for elected officials, approved a Heritage Park committee, and raised utility fees — with raises and promotions on the January agenda.
January 06, 2026
