Capital City News

East Baton Rouge Parish Registrar of Voters Elaine Lamb and her staff have been examining the authenticity of more than 18,200 signatures on a petition calling for an election to incorporate the proposed City of St. George. So far, the petition is holding up well, Lamb said.  “All of our staff are working on this, […]

The Kansas City Southern’s Christmas Train visited Baton Rouge last Friday, and more than 3,000 area residents climbed aboard to enjoy the unique Christmas experience offered by the railroad. The train, which resembles the Polar Express, is decorated inside and out.  Touring the inside is an exciting experience but even the outside warms the hearts […]

Voters in Central reelected three incumbent members of the Central Community School Board Tuesday, keeping the seven-member school board intact, despite a spirited challenge. Central school board member and former board chairman Sharon Browning was the leading vote-getter.  She won 72 percent of the votes in District 7 against Felicia Braud, who received 28 percent.  […]

With the primary election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4, the national election is focused on the battle between Democrats and Republicans, but that is not the case here in East Baton Rouge Parish.  In this parish, most districts are either heavily Democratic or heavily Republican.  Only in a minority of districts do Democrats and Republicans […]

District Judge Mike Caldwell faces his most serious challenge in 18 years on the bench from Baton Rouge attorney Randy Piedrahita. Piedrahita has criticized Caldwell for refusing to hear criminal cases for 17 of the past 18 years and carrying a light load of civil cases.  He says the state Constitution and the backlog of […]

During Celebration of Life ceremonies honoring the late Ralph Washington, Central Mayor Jr. Shelton praised Washington as “a public servant in the truest sense of the word.”  Shelton said Washington, who served as Mayor Pro-Tem of the City of Central from the city’s formation in July 2005 until July 1, 2014, “walked softly but carried a […]

Opponents of the incorporation of St. George have argued that a St. George-based school system would be less diverse than the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, but an analysis of enrollment figures raises doubts about that claim.  EBR, which has 64 one-race schools, has a diversity rate of 10.6 percent, compared to 18.1 percent […]

Gov. Bobby Jindal told the Baton Rouge Press Club Wednesday he supports the right of the people of St. George to incorporate as a new city or form a new school district. At the same time the governor was making his remarks, Mayor-President Kip Holden was taking the opposite position before the Baton Rouge Rotary […]

E — If you reside in the City of Baton Rouge or own property here, you’ve probably received a copy of your 2013 property tax bill from the Sheriff.  Included in that bill is a property tax for CATS, the Capital Area Transit System.  It’s a 10.6-mill tax, which costs you about 1/10th of one […]

A capacity  crowd packed into Drusilla Seafood last Saturday for the first Louisiana Strong Summit.  Keynote speaker Michael Voris explained how collectivism and urban socialism are being promoted through the Industrial Areas Foundation, which was organized by Saul Alynsky. Voris said many well-meaning churches and church leaders are duped by the tactics of the far […]