Central City News

By Woody Jenkins, Editor Central City News Facing his first real controversy as Mayor-President, Coach Sid Edwards walked into a packed meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish on Tuesday, Feb. 25. It was a standing room only crowd composed of all major news outlets in the Capital City, a large […]

By Woody Jenkins, Editor Central City News The controversy over funding the parish library system is just the beginning of a conversation that has to play out over the next few years in East Baton Rouge Parish. The reality is this: Local government has plenty of money, enough money to provide a high level of […]

By William Most, Attorney at Law Louisiana voters should beware: On March 29, 2025, they will be asked whether to approve changes to the Louisiana Constitution. But what they won’t be told is that some of those changes would seriously narrow constitutional protections for church and religious organizations’ property.   During a two-week special session […]

The proposed St. George Home Rule Charter includes several potential benefits emphasizing efficient, localized governance, and strong public engagement.  Here are some of the pros: 1. Balanced Representation • The City Council includes both district-elected and at-large members, ensuring that local neighborhoods have representation while maintaining a citywide perspective in governance. 2. Checks and Balances […]

I am the co-incorporator of the City of St. George and Treasurer of the St. George Transition District. I am opposed to the St. George Home Rule Charter (HRC) that will be on the March 29, 2025, ballot. Let me state right at the begin- ning the four major problems with the proposed Charter: 1. […]

Former Central High head football Coach Sid Edwards scored an historic victory off the playing field Saturday night, when he was elected Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish, defeating an eight-year incumbent. Surprised Experts. Coach Sid surprised the political “experts” and defied the common wisdom to become the third Republican Mayor-President in parish history. 88 […]

By Woody Jenkins, Editor Central City News Over her nearly eight years as Mayor-President, Sharon Broome has had a strained relationship with Baton Rouge police officers, which has repeatedly surfaced into public view. The police have four major grievances against Broome: •The Mayor-President hasn’t had their back and is always ready to throw them under […]

By Michael Lunsford, Citizens for a New Louisiana This is the “tax reform” special session. It includes a second bite at the recent failed attempt to call a constitutional convention. Readers might remember the 2024 regular session when Louisiana’s freshly-minted Congressman-elect Cleo Fields refused to take the matter up in the Senate and Governmental Affairs […]

By Woody Jenkins, Editor Central City News If there was one thing Coach Sid Edwards and former Rep. Ted James agreed on in the run up to the Nov. 5 election, it was that the City of Baton Rouge needed more police officers and better pay in order to attract and keep the best possible […]

Woody Jenkins, Editor Scott McKay of TheHayride.com offered a theory in his talk on the races for President and Mayor-President at the Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge two weeks ago.   He calls it the Fun Rule.  His theory is simple: Forget the polls, the mailings, the TV spots, the lies, the posturing, […]