Central City News

The Central Community School Board voted 5-2 to raise property taxes in Central by $750,000 a year.  It was the first time since the Central school system was created that a tax has been imposed or raised without a vote of the people. Supt. Jason Fountain said he was not asking the board for the […]

Anyone who drove up Greenwell Springs Road in the 1950’s or 1960’s will remember the beauty of that ancient road — a quiet, narrow country lane covered with a canopy of live oaks and other trees.  In those days, it would be easy to visualize the cattle drives, stage coaches, and buckboard wagons that travelled […]

A bridge across the Amite River linking Hooper Road in Central to the Watson community in Livingston Parish has been a dream of both communities for at least 70 years. In fact, leaders of Central and Watson met with Gov. Robert  Kennon in the early 1950’s to propose the project. Since then, Central leaders have […]

 Many people believe BREC, or the Baton Rouge Recreation and Parks Commission, is a unit of local government. Oddly enough, it is not.  BREC was created in 1948 by an act of the Louisiana Legislature.  It was and is an autonomous state agency. Its decisions are not subject to review or disapproval by the governor […]

Sen. Bodi White (R-Central) has introduced legislation to allow the City of Central to have its own recreation and parks system. Taxes currently collected by BREC, the Baton Rouge Recreation and Parks Commission, would go to the new park system for use exclusively in Central.  According to BREC, Central taxpayers currently pay BREC $2.5 million […]

Two Central legislators have introduced legislation to  allow dredging of the Comite River without a permit through August 1, 2026. The current authority for dredging without a permit expires Aug. 1, 2021.  Rep. Valarie Hodges is the lead author of HB 544. Sen. Bodi White will be handling the bill in the State Senate. The bill […]

 Property owners in Central could see their property tax bills go up if the Central Community School Board rolls forward property taxes here at its meeting on May 10 as proposed by board member Dr. Keith Holmes. The result would be a $750,000 increase in property taxes without a vote of the people. The Central […]

The Central Fire District issued the following statement on two tax renewals on the ballot this Saturday, April 24: “Central Fire Protection District #4 respectfully asks for your consideration and support of the two renewals on the April 24 ballot.  These two renewals account for approximately one-third of the budget of the Central Fire Department […]

Growing up on the island side of rural Pointe Coupee Parish in the early 1950’s, I was barefoot most of the time. We rented our modest little farmhouse from Mr. Pete Samson, a kindly Cajun farmer who spoke little English. The house was $20 a month. We were poor, I suppose, but I had no […]

 In a far-reaching interview with the Central City News, Central schools Supt. Jason Fountain gave his views on key issues facing the school system, including: •While the East Baton Rouge Parish School System has been considering starting school in July, Central will stay on its regular schedule.  Faculty and staff will come back on Tuesday, […]