WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Mayor under scrutiny vetoes department head measure Play Video

  May 13, 2013 1:39 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Mayor Deedy Slaughter vetoed a measure passed by the Port Allen City Council last week which would have explicity listed several city positions as department heads, including the chief financial officer who took Slaughter to court after the mayor tried to fire her. The ordinance, which... more »

• New allegations of possible wrongdoing by Port Allen Mayor Play Video

  April 30, 2013 3:34 PM

  PORT ALLEN- More allegations of possible wrongdoing by Port Allen Mayor Deedy Slaughter surfaced after a contempt hearing was continued in West Baton Rouge Parish today. In court, we learned Slaughter hired a new legal team of attorneys to represent her after a judge overturned her firing of Chief... more »

• Mayor to face contempt accusations in court

  April 30, 2013 10:42 AM

  PORT ALLEN - A hearing to determine if Mayor Deedy Slaughter of Port Allen violated a judge's order not to interfere with the city's chief financial officer has been continued until May. Today Mayor Slaughter had new attorneys representing her. Judge Alvin Batiste told both sides the court issued... more »

• City Auditor: Port Allen not in compliance with bond account Play Video

  April 16, 2013 4:21 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Concern is growing in Port Allen among city leaders over a compliance issue with bond accounts. An audit conducted for the city last year, indicated the city needed to set up what's called a "sinking fund." The account would be used to pay off bond debts.... more »

• Workouts now mandatory at Port Allen Fire Department

  April 11, 2013 1:23 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Fire safety and physical training goes hand-in-hand at the Port Allen Fire Department. Fire Chief Rick Boudreaux just rolled out a new workout rule that applies to every firefighter in his district. They have to do physical training for at least an hour a day. ... more »

• Proposal: West Bank Connector from BR to NO

  April 1, 2013 10:40 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Opinions vary among local and state officials whether or not a proposed "West Bank Connector" can get off the ground this legislative session. Wilfred Barry, president of the SJB Group, a Baton Rouge design firm, is working with six parishes on a plan that would bring an... more »

• Wrecks shut down I-10 East near Port Allen

  March 15, 2013 6:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A pair of crashes west of Port Allen closed I-10 East this evening during already-congested traffic. The wrecks happend at mile markers 143 and 145, according to the Louisiana State Police. The roadway was reopened about thirty minutes later, but congestion remained in the area. ... more »

• New recycling carts for parts of WBR Play Video

  March 13, 2013 11:25 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Residents in parts of West Baton Rouge Parish will get new, larger recycling carts this week. On Thursday, crews with Allied Waste will begin distributing the new recycling carts to people in unincorporated parts of the parish and in the towns of Addis and Brusly. News... more »

• News 2 Investigates: Mayor's trip paid for by relative Play Video

  February 26, 2013 4:11 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Another door was closed in the face of a News 2 crew trying to ask more questions to Port Allen Mayor Deedy Slaughter regarding her trip to the President's inauguration last month. Her trip came to light after she said she was meeting with the state's... more »

• Area lawmaker: there was no meeting with mayor Play Video

  February 21, 2013 11:58 PM

  PORT ALLEN- A state lawmaker set the record straight after she was mentioned as having conversations with the mayor about city business while in Washington, D.C. for the president's inauguration. "There was no meeting," Rep. Pat Smith (D-Baton Rouge) told WBRZ News 2 Thursday evening. "This was a reception,... more »

• Parents questioning school security in West Baton Rouge Play Video

  February 21, 2013 6:24 PM

  PORT ALLEN - School security in West Baton Rouge remains an issue of concern for parents and the parish school board. At a meeting last night, a board member suggested the schools start using metal detectors and initiate lock down procedures to keep trespassers away and prevent students from... more »

• Reinstated Port Allen CFO back on the job

  February 21, 2013 12:35 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Audrey McCain has her keys, her office, and her computer back a week after Port Allen Mayor "Deedy" Slaughter tried to fire the city's chief financial officer. McCain told News 2 she was focused today on paying the city's bills. She pays city vendors every Thursday.... more »

• Judge rules for fired Port Allen financial officer

  February 20, 2013 12:52 PM

  PORT ALLEN - A judge ruled today that Port Allen's mayor had no authority to fire the city's chief financial officer, and ordered she give her job back. Judge Alvin Batiste said Audrey McCain was a department head, so Mayor "Deedy" Slaughter could not have fired her. Slaughter... more »

• Hearing over Port Allen CFO job status today

  February 20, 2013 10:32 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Officials in Port Allen scheduled this morning to discuss the job status of the city's chief financial officer, whom the new mayor fired last week. Mayor "Deedy" Slaughter fired Audrey McCain a week after News 2 received financial documents requested about the mayor's travel to Washington,... more »

• State could get involved investigating Port Allen Mayor Play Video

  February 18, 2013 3:46 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Sources tell News 2 the State Legislative Auditor's Office is aware of what's going on inside Mayor Deedy Slaughter's office in Port Allen. Last week Slaughter fired the city's chief financial officer, Audrey McCain, after News 2 received financial documents regarding the Mayor. Those documents showed... more »

• Port Allen CFO reinstated Play Video

  February 14, 2013 5:54 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Chief Financial Officer Audrey McCain is back on the job after Mayor "Deedy" Slaughter fired her on Monday. Slaughter said McCain needed to be fired after clerical errors turned up on the city's financial audit. "I asked the auditor, I said, did this happen on... more »

• WBRZ heckled when asking questions at council meeting Play Video

  February 13, 2013 10:39 PM

  PORT ALLEN- Two days after Mayor Deedy Slaughter shut a door in our crew's face, she refused to answer any questions by our crew at a public meeting. It prompted the Port Allen Police Chief to threaten to have our crew removed from the building. At the heated meeting,... more »

• News 2 Investigates: Mayor attends inauguration on taxpayers' dime Play Video

  February 11, 2013 5:18 PM

  PORT ALLEN - One week after News 2 turned in public records requests asking for financial information surrounding Port Allen's new mayor, Dee Dee Slaughter, she fired her Chief Financial Officer. Those documents News 2 obtained show Slaughter traveled to Washington D.C. for President Obama's inauguration last month, and... more »

• Port Allen Pelicans sign National Letters of Intent Play Video

  February 6, 2013 10:57 AM

  PORT ALLEN - A pair of Port Allen linebackers put pen to paper on National Signing Day and picked their colleges for the next handful of years. LB Darian Claiborne selected the Texas A&M Aggies. LB Justin Kelly has picked the Grambling Tigers. Be sure to stick... more »

• Students help find sawed-off shotgun Play Video

  February 4, 2013 5:22 PM

  PORT ALLEN- A 16-year old student is still in jail after school administrators say he brought a sawed-off shotgun to school Friday. The administration was tipped off by two students who saw the boy with the weapon and the school was put on lock down until it was secured.... more »

• Need for security cameras in West Baton Rouge discussed Play Video

  January 25, 2013 4:52 PM

  WEST BATON ROUGE - Since Benedetto's Market opened its doors in 2004, customers were their first priority. One of their first moves was to beef up security. "We have a pretty extensive system in the office that that helps us keep an eye on things when you can't be... more »

• WBR school board to discuss security tonight

  January 14, 2013 10:53 AM

  PORT ALLEN - School administrators in West Baton Rouge will meet with law enforcement tonight to discuss school security in the parish. Tonight's committee meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the school board office in Port Allen. The committee will primarily decide if the topic warrants further... more »

• Emergency bridge repair planned in WBR

  January 3, 2013 10:35 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Traffic officials closed one lane of the Intracoastal Bridge in Port Allen this morning for emergency repairs. Traffic engineers with DOTD said they closed the northbound right lane of La. 1 starting at 10 a.m. for emergency work repairing a bridge joint. The lane closure... more »

• Pedestrian struck, killed west of Port Allen

  December 21, 2012 8:46 AM

  PORT ALLEN - State police say a 57-year-old Plaquemine man has died of injuries after being struck by a pickup on U.S. Highway 190. The accident happened shortly after 1:45 a.m. Friday west of La. Highway 1145 in West Baton Rouge Parish. Troopers say Nathan C. Tobias, Jr.... more »

• Parents grieving son's death Play Video

  December 17, 2012 5:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The parents of the six-year-old-boy killed by a hit-and-run driver are asking that person to surrender to police. Kaleb Shavers was found on Highway 190 near Highway 415, nearly two miles away from where he disappeared. Shavers and his mother were at at party in... more »

• 2 Port Allen men indicted in truck driver's death

  December 7, 2012 9:07 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Two Port Allen men have been indicted in the August shooting death of a Denham Springs man during a robbery at a downtown Baton Rouge gas station. On Thursday, an East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury charged 22-year-old Phillip Carter and a 17-year-old with second-degree murder... more »

• 2 in face off for Port Allen mayor

  November 26, 2012 10:22 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Voters deciding who will serve as Port Allen mayor for the next four years have a choice on the Dec. 8 election ballot between the incumbent and one of his challengers in a previous mayoral election a year ago. Mayor Roger Bergeron, a Democrat, is once again... more »

• LSP: Speed led to deadly I-10 crash

  November 21, 2012 10:38 AM

  PORT ALLEN - State Police said one person did in a wreck overnight on I-10 in West Baton Rouge Parish. Troopers said Reginald D. Head, 29, of Maringouin died in the single-vehicle wreck at the border between West Baton Rouge and Iberville parishes. Investigators said Head drove off... more »

• Port Allen bars losing business after hours change Play Video

  November 8, 2012 5:45 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Bar sales in West Baton Rouge are suffering after a new ordinance in East Baton Rouge took effect last week. Bars are now open Sundays on the east side of the river, and bar owners in Port Allen say it's taking away their business. "Just... more »

• Sugar cane truck rolls over, blocks highway

  November 5, 2012 11:49 AM

  PORT ALLEN - A sugar cane truck rolled onto its side and caused several delays for traffic in West Baton Rouge Parish. The truck turned over this morning on La. 415 just north of I-10. The wreck caused some lane blockage, and law enforcement closed one side of... more »

• Sugar cane harvesting underway Play Video

  October 19, 2012 5:31 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Cane harvest season is underway, which means drivers need to be aware of added dangers on the road. Slow-moving trucks and farm equipment will be more present on local highways as the cane is taken to mill. Farmers often use signs to warn motorists in locations... more »

• FEMA center opens in West Baton Rouge Parish Play Video

  October 15, 2012 5:38 PM

  PORT ALLEN- People in West Baton Rouge Parish can now get some help applying for federal assistance because of Hurricane Isaac. Kelly Prejean is one of the many people who came out today to the West Baton Rouge Parish Community Center in Port Allen, applying for FEMA assistance. ... more »

• WBR boil order canceled

  August 31, 2012 5:58 PM

  PORT ALLEN - West Baton Rouge authorities canceled a boil order this evening that had been in effect for a portion of the parish. The boil order was for the south side of the Intracoastal Canal in the Brusly - Addis area. Authorities canceled it earlier this evening. more »

• West Baton Rouge Parish looks at expanding school

  August 16, 2012 7:47 AM

  PORT ALLEN - West Baton Rouge Parish School Superintendent David Corona has received permission from the school board to seek architects' proposals for a possible expansion at Brusly Elementary School. Corona told the board Wednesday he also plans to ask architects to draw a "footprint" for a new high... more »

• Port Allen council adjusts millage rates

  August 9, 2012 7:36 AM

  PORT ALLEN - The Port Allen City Council has approved slight adjustments to two of the city's millage rates in response to declining property values. The council unanimously adopted a resolution setting the millage rate for its general fund at 7.67 mills and 5.48 mills for tax revenue allocated... more »

• Trash pick-up costing Port Allen Play Video

  August 2, 2012 5:54 PM

  PORT ALLEN- After a rate increase on Wednesday, Mayor Roger Bergeron noticed the cost of trash pickup would put a significant dent in the city's budget, to the tune of nearly $320,000. "For some time now, the city has been subsidizing the recycling portion of the garbage contract and... more »

• Port Allen still talking about trash

  August 2, 2012 10:37 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Port Allen Mayor Roger Bergeron told the city council that as of Aug. 1 and lacking a trash service rate increase, the city stands to lose about $316,000 during the four years left in its contract with Progressive Waste Solutions. Bergeron attributed the loss to a $3.29... more »

• Protesters demand an end to convicted killer's arrangement Play Video

  August 1, 2012 5:22 PM

  PORT ALLEN- Dozens of people including family, friends and complete strangers gathered outside the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail to protest what they call special treatment for a convicted killer. On two separate occasions, News 2 cameras captured Victoria Gosserand walking in plain clothes without handcuffs or shackles in... more »

• WBR jailer on Gosserand: "It's favoritism" Play Video

  July 24, 2012 3:48 PM

  PORT ALLEN- One week after a News 2 investigation, video filmed today showed nothing has changed. Victoria Gosserand walked across the street for a work detail in West Baton Rouge Parish this morning wearing plain clothes. One of the biggest mysteries is why Gosserand gets to serve her time... more »

• Former WBR Deputy: "I was not the snitch" Play Video

  July 23, 2012 4:37 PM

  NEW ROADS- A former West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Deputy sounded off about what happened to him at a rally for Terri Parker's family. He was reassigned last week after News 2 uncovered issues at the West Baton Rouge Parish Detention Center that have many people questioning whether a... more »

• I-10 exit ramp near Port Allen closed

  July 16, 2012 10:45 AM

  PORT ALLEN - A wreck with a tractor trailer blocked an exit ramp off I-10 East near Port Allen this morning, and required Hazmat crews to come out to the scene. Traffic authorities said there's no leakage from the trailer, but Hazmat crews will oversee offloading the trailer's contents.... more »

• I-10 open after shooting shut down traffic

  July 4, 2012 7:09 PM

  BATON ROUGE- All lanes of I-10 Eastbound across the Mississippi River have are now open. Lanes were closed after a shooting near the I-10/110 Junction around 7p.m. Wednesday. A Baton Rouge Police spokesperson said things started with an altercation involving the victim in Port Allen, and led to... more »

• Debate over money for fire protection Play Video

  July 3, 2012 10:21 PM

  PORT ALLEN - A firestorm is brewing in West Baton Rouge Parish over fire protection money. The debate is over fire sales tax revenues and how the monies are divided among the fire districts established by a 1990s law. The mayors of Port Allen, Addis and Brusly have... more »

• Former Port Allen mayor sentenced to 40 months

  June 12, 2012 1:30 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal judge sentenced former Port Allen Mayor Derek Lewis to 40 months in prison Tuesday, after Lewis pleaded guilty to racketeering charges. He testified against former New Roads Mayor Tommy Nelson and former St. Gabriel Mayor George Grace in exchange for a lighter sentence. ... more »

• Chemical fire prompts lawsuit

  June 1, 2012 6:38 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Residents living near the Air Liquide Specialty Chemical plant have gone to court seeking damages as a result of the plant's May 21 explosion and chemical fire. A lawsuit filed May 23 in state court by a Baton Rouge law firm claims Air Liquide conducted negligent operations... more »

• Port Allen and Brusly look for ways to end violence Play Video

  May 30, 2012 10:46 PM

  PORT ALLEN - A pair of brothers is charged in the separate murders that led to a community meeting in Brusly Wednesday night. Carl and Marcus Richardson are accused of killing Justin Warner and Etan Irving. Everyone agrees the violence has to stop. But, the question was how... more »

• EXCLUSIVE: Ex-LSU Football star speaks out after arrest Play Video

  May 29, 2012 4:29 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Former LSU football star Norman LeJeune is speaking out following his arrest over the weekend in Port Allen. LeJeune allegedly threatened violence against an entire Port Allen street following the murders of his two cousins, Justin Warner and Etan Irving. "If I could, I would like... more »

• Former LSU, NFL player arrested for making threats

  May 28, 2012 10:26 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Sheriff's deputies in West Baton Rouge arrested a former LSU and NFL player after his neighbors said he made threatening remarks after a relative was shot. Deputies arrested Norman LeJeune last night in suspicion of public intimidation, terroristic threats and resisting arrest, according to Col. Richie... more »

• 1 dead in WBR gas station shooting, brother of murder suspect arrested

  May 27, 2012 11:02 AM

  PORT ALLEN - Another violent incident at a Port Allen gas station has left one person dead. It happened just before midnight Saturday at the Racetrac on La. 1, near the scene of a deadly shooting two weeks ago that left a Brusly High School student dead. According... more »

• U.S. 190 reopens in Port Allen, evacuation lifted

  May 23, 2012 8:12 AM

  PORT ALLEN- All lanes are open on U.S. 190 at LA 983 (Bueche Road) in West Baton Rouge Parish. U.S. 190 was closed Monday morning after an explosion and fire at the Air Liquide plant. Crews extinguished the blaze Tuesday and are inspecting cylinders containing acetylene at the... more »

• Evacuation, road closure in WBR continues Play Video

  May 22, 2012 4:18 PM

  PORT ALLEN - An evacuation and road closure in West Baton Rouge Parish after a chemical fire will continue into Wednesday, according to authorities. The Louisiana State Police said a fire that started yesterday morning at the storage facility was mostly out, with a few "hot spots" still burning.... more »

• Fire extinguished, road remains closed near Air Liquide plant

  May 22, 2012 7:20 AM

  PORT ALLEN - US Highway 190 at Bueche Rd. remains closed this morning, after a chemical fire at the Air Liquide plant caused officials to shut-down the roadway. Captain Doug Cain, with Louisiana State Police, says crews have extinguished the fire, but hot spots are still present. State... more »

• Crews to let chemical fire burn overnight Play Video

  May 21, 2012 6:52 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Emergency crews announced they will let a chemical fire at a Port Allen storage facility continue to burn overnight, while they monitor several acetylene containers on the property. A fire broke out around 10:30 a. m. at the Air Liquide facility on La. 190 in Port... more »

• Arrest made in deadly Port Allen shooting Play Video

  May 14, 2012 12:07 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Sheriff's deputies arrested a man they said shot and killed a Brusly teen this weekend at a Port Allen gas station. Col. Richie Johnson with the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office said deputies arrested Marcus Richardson, 22, in connection with the shooting Sunday night. Johnson... more »

• Port Allen Councilman sentenced to halfway house

  April 26, 2012 3:00 PM

  BATON ROUGE - You could hear the sighs of relief, then the sobs from his family members as Judge Brian Jackson made his ruling: former Port Allen city councilman Johnny Johnson will spend only six months in a halfway house for his federal crimes. Johnson plead guilty to taking... more »

• Fred Smith reports to federal prison in Ark.

  April 16, 2012 3:06 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Former Port Allen Police Chief Fred Smith is now behind bars for his conviction on federal racketeering charges. Smith reported to a federal prison in eastern Arkansas this afternoon around 2 p.m., according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He was sentenced to seven and... more »

• Gator caught at Port Allen motel after biting guest Play Video

  April 11, 2012 5:52 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Animal control workers removed an almost six-foot-long alligator from a Port Allen motel this afternoon after it bit a guest. Staff at the motel told News 2 they saw the alligator outside of a window and called the West Baton Rouge Parish Sherriff's office. But before... more »

• Police arrest man for Relax Inn murder

  April 6, 2012 3:36 PM

  PLAQUEMINE - Police have arrested a man wanted for a murder at the Relax Inn in Plaquemine. Port Allen police located Jerome Harden, 21, at a home on Atchafalaya St. and arrested him without incident Friday around 11:30 a.m. Harden is accused of murdering Brian Daly, 31, of... more »

• Former Port Allen Police Chief sentenced to 7 1/2 years Play Video

  March 14, 2012 12:38 PM

  BATON ROUGE-- Former Port Allen Police Chief Fred Smith will serve seven and a half years in a federal prison for exchanging his official position as chief for bribes. "Utterly unforgivable" and "shameful" is how Judge Brian A. Jackson described Smith's actions, calling him a greedy person who failed... more »

• Former Port Allen police chief learns his fate in fed court

  March 14, 2012 10:13 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Former Port Allen Police Chief Fred Smith will be sentenced today in Judge Jackson's courtroom after a federal jury found him guilty on all counts against him in his federal corruption trial back in October 2011. Smith was found guilty on counts including racketeering, wire fraud... more »

• WBR deputies to be sentenced in jailhouse beating

  March 8, 2012 11:26 AM

  PORT ALLEN- Two former West Baton Rouge deputies are expected to plead guilty to their role in a 2007 jailhouse beating that left an inmate with a broken jaw. Authorities say Gary Frith and Philmore Bradford will plead guilty to second degree battery and malfeasance in office. Deputies... more »

• Former officer accused of choking suspect

  March 7, 2012 7:12 AM

  PORT ALLEN - A former Port Allen police officer has been charged with choking a suspect during a traffic stop. A West Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicted Jasmione Clark Tuesday on charges of second-degree battery and malfeasance for the Sept. 24 incident that prosecutors said left Port Allen resident... more »

• Port Allen men arrested for extortion, theft

  March 5, 2012 2:43 PM

  Belle Rose- Authorities in Assumption Parish have arrested two men accused of extorting a large sum of money for an unwanted paint job at an elderly man's home in Belle Rose. The victim said the men asked to paint his home. The elderly man said he did not need... more »

• Port Allen woman fatally struck by car

  January 8, 2012 5:14 PM

  PORT ALLEN- A woman is dead after being hit by a car in Port Allen. It happened around 2:00am Saturday morning on US 190 west of LA 1145. According to investigators, 39-year-old Elodia Smith walked directly into the path of a 1999 Mercury Cougar west on US 190.... more »

• Illegal Christmas bonuses? Play Video

  December 15, 2011 7:31 AM

  PORT ALLEN - The fallout from former Port Allen mayor Derek Lewis's corruption scandal has trickled down to city officials. And now, the city council has uncovered financial wrongdoings stemming back to 1994. An audit recently revealed that employees unknowingly received thousands of dollars in Christmas bonuses that... more »

• Four fires in over a week under investigation for arson Play Video

  December 12, 2011 10:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Four fires, in a week and a half, across the Capital area, are under investigation and could be criminal. The State Fire Marshal's Office says suspicious fires and arsons have gone up almost 30% since Spring and it's costing taxpayers, homeowners and business owners millions. The... more »

• Wild police chase in Port Allen ends in arrest Play Video

  December 6, 2011 1:01 PM

  PORT ALLEN - A high-speed chase in Port Allen this afternoon involved two stolen cars, a car crash, a foot pursuit and ended with an alleged car burglar in handcuffs, according to Louisiana State Police. Louisiana State Police Trooper Russell Graham confirms to News 2 that a man accused... more »

• Port Allen apartment fire ruled arson

  November 30, 2011 5:33 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Investigators announced today that an apartment fire which burned almost two dozen people out of their homes was the work of arson. Barry Mounce with the state Fire Marshal's Office said they wouldn't release the details of how the fire at Kathryn Square Apartments on North... more »

• Apartment fire displaces 20 people in Port Allen Play Video

  November 29, 2011 5:51 AM

  PORT ALLEN - A fire tore through an apartment complex in Port Allen this morning. Eight units of the Katherine Square Apartments units on North 14th Street were damaged. The Red Cross is currently assisting more than 20 people displaced by the fire. No word on what... more »

• Tracy Porter hosts Thanksgiving dinner for less fortunate Play Video

  November 20, 2011 6:03 PM

  PORT ALLEN- Saints cornerback and Port Allen native, Tracy Porter, hosted an early Thanksgiving dinner for less fortunate families today. Kids and their parents enjoyed a hot plate of turkey and all the fixings at DC's Grill in Port Allen. In addition to feeding families this holiday season,... more »

• Closing ordinance opposed by club Play Video

  November 18, 2011 4:16 PM

  PORT ALLEN - A gentleman's club owner told West Baton Rouge Parish Council members that he would fight an ordinance requiring his business to close at 10 p.m. on Sundays. Last month, 53 percent of parish voters cast ballots in favor of a proposed law requiring businesses selling alcohol... more »

• Port Allen gets interim police chief

  November 3, 2011 11:19 AM

  PORT ALLEN - The Port Allen City Council has appointed 23-year police department veteran Sgt. Ken Bates as the city's interim police chief on a 4-0 vote. The Advocate reports the 50-year-old Bates will serve until a special election, tentatively scheduled for March 4, is held for voters to... more »

• New Port Allen Police Chief to be named

  November 2, 2011 5:17 PM

  PORT ALLEN - Five candidates are on the "short list" for Interim Port Allen Police Chief, according to Interim Mayor R.J. Loupe. The list isn't official, just names some council members have thrown around. Loupe said all five candidates come from within the Port Allen Police Department. Former Port... more »

• Judge guts Smith's defense

  October 26, 2011 6:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE-- A judge gutted Port Allen Police Chief Fred Smith's defense, telling Smith's attorney he cannot use "entrapment" as a defense during closing arguments Thursday. Smith's attorney, J. David Bourland, pleaded with Judge Brian A. Jackson to allow the entrapment defense, saying, "My client was emphatic he wanted... more »

• Former Port Allen mayor takes stand in police chief's trial

  October 25, 2011 6:15 PM

  BATON ROUGE-- Port Allen Police Chief Fred Smith was "ready to go" on bribes, according to former Port Allen Mayor Derek Lewis, who took the stand Tuesday afternoon against his former friend. Lewis described the trip he and Smith took to New Orleans on the dime of undercover FBI... more »

• Damaging testimony in Smith trial

  October 24, 2011 6:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE-- Port Allen Police Chief Fred Smith's family prayed aloud during testimony from undercover FBI Operative William Myles. Myles used a stopwatch to illustrate to the jury during an audio recording that it took just one minute and 38 seconds after first meeting Smith for Smith to begin... more »

• Trial resumes Monday for Port Allen police chief

  October 23, 2011 9:23 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Trial resumes Monday for Port Allen Police Chief Fred Smith, who was indicted after an FBI sting that paid officials in several Capitol-area cities to get public contracts for a fictional business to clean garbage cans. The trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson is... more »

• Testimony begins in Smith trial

  October 21, 2011 6:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE-- Official police badges, official police commissions, and classified information were among the things prosecutors told the jury Port Allen Police Chief Fred Smith gave out in exchange for cash, hotel stays, and sports tickets. Jurors watched video of Smith counting $800 in an undercover FBI agent's car.... more »

• Jury selected for Port Allen police chief trial

  October 20, 2011 4:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The 12 jurors and four alternates who will deliver a verdict in the former Port Allen Police Chief's trial have finally been selected Thursday afternoon after almost two days of debating. Fred Smith is accused of violating the Rico act, mail fraud, wire fraud and racketeering... more »

• Three injured in Port Allen plant accident

  October 19, 2011 11:44 AM

  PORT ALLEN - A cylinder of nitrogen exploded and injured three workers at a Port Allen gas plant this morning, according to the West Baton Rouge Parish Fire Department. Chief Rick Boudreaux said they were called to the Airgas plant at 9:48 a.m. after the cylinder exploded. He said... more »