The West Side Journal

09/25/2025

Join the WBR Chamber Member Luncheon: State of Education Featuring Chandler Smith, Superintendent. Register at wbrchamber.org or contact [email protected]

09/10/2025

A Great American

09/04/2025

A HOSTAGE WHO SURVIVED 505 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY IN GAZA TELLS HIS STORY. This Sunday, September 7 at the Crowne Plaza in Baton Rouge.

08/28/2025

LOUISIANA GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL TURN TAIL and urge the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the second majority black Congressional district they created for Cong. Cleo Fields. In January 2014, Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill told the legislature and the public that Louisiana was required by court order to create a second black congressional district. That was false. The actual facts were that the fifth circuit had ordered Judge Shelly Dick to hold a trial on the 2022 Congressional reapportionment plan passed by the legislature and on whether there should be a second black district. Governor Landry engineered having then-State Senator Cleo Fields appointed chairman of the Senate and Government Affairs Committee to lead reapportionment. Senator Fields drew a congressional district which was gerrymandered to give him a congressional seat. Attorney General Murrell proceeded to support passage of that plan and has defended that plan all the way to the u.S. Supreme Court despite the fact that it was clearly unconstitutional. The Attorney General has been defending that unconstitutional plan ever since, even after a three-judge federal panel ruled the Cleo Fields gerrymandered district to be unconstitutional. Thankfully, now the Attorney General and the governor are supporting the position they should. Namely that the Cleo Fields district is unconstitutional and so is Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. — Woody Jenkins

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murril said the state will argue that race-based redistricting is unconstitutional and the map with two majority-Black districts should be thrown out.

08/22/2025

JOIN US THIS SATURDAY! A great daylong seminar on natural approaches to health care. Taught by Dr. Evelyn Griffin and a panel of experts. You will leave armed with answers to many of the health challenges you may face. All-day seminar only $10. Lunch will be available. Revolution Square, 9500 Blackwater Road in Central. The Central City News will broadcast the event live at Central City News on Facebook.

08/15/2025

READ THE AUGUST 2025 EDITION OF ST. GEORGE LEADER! The print edition reaches 30,000 households in City of St. George, LA. To read the print version online, click here:https://tinyurl.com/58j7yz8x

07/21/2025

07/20/2025

YOU ARE INVITED — MEET SECRETARY OF STATE NANCY LANDRY AT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF EBR PARISH THIS TUESDAY — Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry will discuss her plans for improving the state’s election system at the Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish at 12 noon this Tuesday, July 22. The meeting will be held at Café Américain, 7621 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge.

Ms. Landry is Louisiana’s 45th Secretary of State, having been elected on Nov. 18, 2023. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the office having served as First Assistant Secretary of State for four years, where she advised Secretary Kyle Ardoin on policy and legislative matters, and became certified as an Elections Registration Administrator in 2021. Secretary Landry’s goals include securing a new voting system with a paper component for the state, protecting the security of sensitive voter data, and continuing the agency’s high-tech protections.

From 2008-2019, Nancy served the people of House District 31 in the Louisiana House of Representatives. In her tenure as a legislator, then-Representative Landry served on the Committees on Civil Law, Natural Resources, House and Governmental Affairs, and Education, serving as Chairman in her final term. As a state representative, Nancy authored several key pieces of legislation on education, hazing reform, and family law.

Secretary Landry is a native of Lafayette and also lived overseas as the daughter of a Navy veteran. Secretary Landry is a graduate of LSU and LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center. After law school, she worked for the online legal publishing company, Westlaw, and served as a judicial law clerk for the 15th Judicial District Family Court before going into private family law practice. In private practice, Landry established an award-winning system that provided reduced-cost legal representation to families in crisis. She brings to the office nearly two decades of experience working in both the private and public sectors.

The Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish is composed of small business owners whose businesses are located in the parish and who reside in EBR or a surrounding parish. Cecil Cavanaugh is chairman, and Woody Jenkins is president.

The public is invited to attend. The luncheon is $25 payable to the restaurant. Lunch is complimentary for members of the working press. Meetings are broadcast live at Central City News on Facebook.

For information, contact Woody Jenkins at woodyjenkins2020@hotmai

07/14/2025

📌 Thank you to everyone who attended our second annual Resource Expo yesterday! We are still reflecting on how wonderful this community is, and how lucky we are to be surrounded by so many people who wanted to help or volunteer to make this day special.

Thank you so each of the vendors who participated and took time out of their busy day to serve the people of West Baton Rouge – your commitment and dedication to our Parish does not go unnoticed.

And lastly, our fearless leader Miss Julie Mayeux!! She never wants recognition, but this was her idea that she has grown into something special. She shows up early, leaves late, and never has one complaint. She has built a committee of rockstars, each one as wonderful as she is. Thank you Coach for all of your service to West Baton Rouge!

We also want to thank our Parish Partners and Education & Workforce Committee who spent countless hours perfecting every detail of this event…without each of you, none of this would be possible:

•West Baton Rouge Parish Government
•West Baton Rouge Parish Schools
•West Baton Rouge Parks & Recreation
•Empire Wingz
•Couyon’s
•Bergeron’s
•Raising Canes
•Coca-Cola
•Community Coffee
•Entergy Solutions
•Toby Willis with Edward Jones
•Anatole Vincent for the Jambalaya
•The West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce Education & Workforce Development Steering Committee: Brandy Tyson, Liz Fussell, Mary Winfield, and Tischa Mitchell

Anna Johnson, Executive Director
WBR Chamber of Commerce

07/07/2025

YOU ARE INVITED TO HEAR CONGRESSMAN GARRET GRAVES SPEAK AT RONALD REAGAN NEWSMAKER LUNCHEON TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2025 — Former Congressman Garret Graves (R-Baton Rouge) will address Capital area Republican leaders this Tuesday, July 8 at the Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon. The meeting is scheduled for 12 noon at Café Américain, 7521 Jefferson Hwy. in Baton Rouge.

Graves will speak on the President's budget, Congressional reapportionment, and other issues facing Louisiana and the nation.

The Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon is sponsored by the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish and the Louisiana Republican Assembly. It is open to the public. Lunch is $25 payable to the restaurant. Lunch is complimentary for members of the working media.

The Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon is held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Café Américain. For more information, contact Republican parish chairman Woody Jenkins at [email protected] or 225-921-1433. It is broadcast live on Central City News on Facebook.