GONZALES — While the Gonzales City Council has balked at providing its full infrastructure commitment to Kidz Kove Discovery Park, the Ascension Parish Council has fulfilled its pledge. The Parish Council on Thursday approved a resolution providing $25,000 to Project Kidz Kove, the nonprofit group raising funds for the park that will serve children with … Continue reading →

GONZALES — Ascension Parish government officials, already trying to pull together the early pieces of a parishwide sewer system, also have been investigating the possibility of getting into the natural gas and water business. Parish President Tommy Martinez has been meeting with an economic development consultant for several months about buying natural gas from pipelines … Continue reading →

PRAIRIEVILLE ­— A fire that broke out late Friday morning caused an estimated $70,000 to $80,000 in damage to an Ascension Parish business but no injuries after flammable, spray-on material used to line the beds of pickup trucks caught fire. Fire Chief Mark Stewart of the Prairieville Fire Department said it took about 15 to … Continue reading →

GONZALES — The Ascension Parish Council voted on Thursday to outlaw the practice of parents hosting parties where youths under the age of 21 are allowed to consume alcohol. Looking ahead to the upcoming graduation season, Sheriff Jeff Wiley urged the council to adopt an ordinance that targets adults who host large parties where youths … Continue reading →

Teens interested in a summer volunteering opportunity can sign up Tuesday at the Ascension Parish Library in Donaldsonville for Volunteer Ascension’s ConnecTeens program. Registration is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The program introduces youths 12 to 17 to volunteerism, while guaranteeing they meet new people, learn new things and gain a better … Continue reading →

A new annual audit finds the Assumption Parish school system ran afoul of the state bid law and has problems with the way it tracks some of its financial affairs, including employee pay and leave. Under direction from the state Legislative Auditor’s Office, the school system’s paid auditor also conducted a deeper-than-usual review of system financial procedures … Continue reading →

ST. AMANT — Trulena Guedry experienced something Thursday morning no mother wants to endure. She was in her home on Taylor Sheets Jr. Road in St. Amant with her four children when she discovered the living room had caught fire. She rushed the children, ages 2 to 10, out of the house, unsuccessfully attempted … Continue reading →

VACHERIE — A new garbage contract will save St. James Parish residents $1.45 each month. The St. James Parish Council unanimously agreed in a 7-0 vote Wednesday to reduce fees for the parish’s residential solid waste collection program. Councilmen Alvin St. Pierre, Terry McCreary, Jason Amato, Ralph Patin, Charles Ketchens, Ken Brass … Continue reading →

GEISMAR — Company and law enforcement officials are investigating a bomb threat found late Thursday morning written in a portable bathroom at the Westlake Vinyls Co. plant in Ascension Parish, officials said. Dave Hansen, corporate spokesman for Houston-based Westlake, said in an email that the threat warned the bomb would be detonated between 2 p.m. … Continue reading →

Joe Ben Welch will walk away from the community college he helped build from the ground up, retiring from River Parishes Community College in August. Welch, who has been RPCC’s chancellor since it opened in 1999, announced last week to colleagues that he would retire effective Aug. 31, and the college made the announcement public in a … Continue reading →

LUTCHER — The St. James Parish School Board will pay nearly $1 million under protest after losing a lawsuit it filed to avoid paying pension expenses that school officials say are state responsibilities and not that of local education systems, Schools Superintendent Alonzo Luce said. “We think it’s very clear in the state constitution that … Continue reading →

DONALDSONVILLE – Donaldsonville city government’s Louisiana Development Ready Cities volunteer group has unveiled its new official logo for the city. “We were tasked with branding the city to make it more attractive to people coming in to start new businesses,” said Robyn Penn Delaney, co-chairwoman of the Development Ready Cities committee, during Tuesday’s regular council … Continue reading →

GONZALES — The Ascension Parish government has plucked an engineer from Baton Rouge to help address the parish’s growing traffic concerns. Jason Taylor, who spent 12 years as an engineer with the East Baton Rouge Parish government, was introduced Tuesday night to the Ascension Parish Council’s Transportation Committee as a new senior project manager for … Continue reading →

GONZALES — The third time was the charm for St. Amant High School sophomore Jesse Bateman as he yodeled his way to victory May 9 at the Ascension Idol fundraiser. “It was worth the wait,” said Bateman, 18. Bateman finished in second place the first year of the contest and didn’t make it to … Continue reading →

Whether it was a water balloon fight at Dutchtown and St. Amant, water slides in Donaldsonville or the pond jump at East Ascension, seniors at four local high schools ended their high school careers soaked from head to toe. The tradition of ending senior year drenched started in 1967, when a handful of East Ascension High School … Continue reading →

Forty-eight girls from 23 parishes sold more than 750 boxes of cookies in this year’s cookie program. The top cookie sellers were treated to pedicures, manicures and facials from professionals.

Teens interested in a summer volunteering opportunity can sign up May 21 at the Ascension Parish Library in Donaldsonville for Volunteer Ascension’s ConnecTeens program. Registration is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The program introduces youths 12 to 17 to volunteerism, while guaranteeing they meet new people, learn … Continue reading →

The Ascension Parish Animal Shelter, 9894 Airline Highway, Sorrento, is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday for viewings and pet adoptions. For more information, call (225) 675-6557. Available this week are:

Stevi Girouard will reign over the Jambalaya Festival later this month as Miss Gonzales Jambalaya. Girouard, 18, was crowned May 4 at a pageant in Gonzales. Alyssa Gordillo was crowned 2013 Teen Miss Gonzales Jambalaya. Contestants vying for both titles took part in interviews at the home of longtime Jambalaya Festival Association members Frank and … Continue reading →

The Ascension Section this week includes photos from local civic, community and school groups and highlights recent events around Ascension Parish.

Donaldsonville’s Juneteenth Freedom Festival will celebrate children this year, organizer Tamiko Francis Garrison said. “It’s All About Children” is the theme of this year’s June 8 celebration in Louisiana Square, the 17th for the city. Juneteenth commemorates the day when slaves in the last geographic area in America where slavery existed learned of their freedom, she … Continue reading →

Eleven volunteer firefighters from the St. Amant community spent eight hours Saturday learning about vehicle extrication. The course was designed to provide St. Amant Volunteer firefighters with a better understanding of the current techniques available for the swift extrication of victims from a variety of vehicle entrapments, Chief Officer James E. LeBlanc said. The eight-hour … Continue reading →

The Gonzales Committee on Cultural Affairs is finalizing plans to welcome a delegation from Meylan, France, Oct. 10-17. Committee President Karen Hatcher said the group is part of a twin cities program that travels to Meylan every other year and hosts the French visitors in between trips. Members of the French delegation will stay in … Continue reading →

Five Ascension Parish high school seniors have been named recipients of an academic scholarship from the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Scholarship Program, Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley said. The recipients live in Ascension Parish and plan to attend colleges in the Louisiana. The sheriffs’ scholarship is made possible by the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Honorary Membership Program, Wiley said. … Continue reading →

The St. Amant High School General Cooperative Education class of 2013 included 24 seniors gaining work experience before graduation. The GCE class is a cooperative venture between St. Amant High and the community, providing students with class instruction and work opportunities. On a daily basis, GCE combines classroom instruction with three or more hours of work … Continue reading →

The St. Theresa Robotics Club tackled recycling as a project for the National World War II Museum’s 2013 Robotics Challenge. The event was held Saturday at the New Orleans museum. The Robotics Challenge required fourth- through eighth-grade competition members from different schools to complete projects, based on real-life scenarios during WWII, in three main categories: a … Continue reading →

Six Ascension and Livingston parish seniors were honored for their academic achievements during a recent Top Scholars Banquet hosted by Eatel Corp. The seventh annual event recognized the academic success of the students and honored the teachers that students selected as having been most influential in their lives, a news release from Eatel says. … Continue reading →

The Gonzales Garden Club recently announced its officers for the 2013-2015 term. Pricillia Monson will serve as president for the two-year term. Rita Bourque was named vice president. Others officers include Ellen Richmond, historian; Barbara Guillot, parliamentarian; Cynthia Cagnolatti, treasurer; Loretta Speligene, corresponding secretary; and Jamie Trisler, recording secretary. The winners of the club’s … Continue reading →

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and St. Elizabeth Hospital are partnering to offer a free skin cancer screening at 6 p.m. May 30 at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Medical Plaza II, 1014 W. St. Clare Blvd., Suite 1040, Gonzales. With the Jambalaya Festival, swimming activities at the city pool or in backyards and sporting events, there is never … Continue reading →

It’s not too late to register for Ascension Community Theatre’s summer youth drama workshops. The workshops will be provided by Drama Kids International. The first session, set from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 10-14, is for all ages. Children ages 3 to 7 can attend from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. June 24-28 for … Continue reading →

Dutchtown High School is hosting its annual Cheerleader Mini Camp June 3-7. Campers will learn cheerleading techniques from 9 a.m. to noon during the five-day camp. To register, email Jennifer.Morrill@apsb.org.

Dutchtown Primary School recently raised $16,206.47 for the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart program, school officials said. To motivate the students, two male teachers pledged to wear red dresses if the school collected $7,000 through online contributions, and coaches agreed to be part of a human ice cream sundae if the school’s overall goal was … Continue reading →

The East Ascension High School Spartanette Dance Camp is set June 24-28 at the school’s gym. The five-day camp, designed for girls ages 3 and older, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon each day with a Friday Night Show-Off presentation. For more information contact (225) 715-7588.

Dutchtown High School will hold commencement ceremonies at 7 p.m. Thursday in Griffin Field. Yennie Jun, the daughter of Bokkyoo Jun and Namhyung Lee, of Geismar, is the class valedictorian. Jun maintained a cumulative grade-point average of 4.7. She participated in several extracurricular activities including the Dutchtown Sound Band, Interact, National Honor Society, Student … Continue reading →

Ascension Catholic High School will hold its graduation ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday in Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church in Donaldsonville Leading the Class of 2013 will be valedictorian Nancy Guillot and salutatorian Deja’ Cutno. Guillot, the daughter of Nolan “Billy” and Julie Guillot, plans to major in sociology with a concentration in … Continue reading →

DONALDSONVILLE — Donaldsonville High School will hold a graduation ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday at the school’s stadium. Valedictorian: Carly Harris Salutatorian: Kaylynn Joseph Honor graduates: Kayla Hernandez, John Smith, Kaylin Solomon, Alia Woods, Shaqunda … Continue reading →

TEEN BOOK CLUB: 5:30 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Galvez. A GUIDE TO WRITING RÉSUMÉS: 6 p.m. Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales. PLANT SALE: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Gonzales city hall, 120 S. Irma Blvd., Gonzales. Gonzales Garden Club’s annual plant and bake sale. FARM DAY: … Continue reading →

Sliced roasted turkey with gravy or barbecue chicken breast, mixed vegetables, sour cream and chive potatoes, whole-wheat bread and cake. OUTDOOR PICNIC: Celebrating Older American’s Month, Donaldsonville Senior Center, 101 Bocage Dr., 9:30 a.m. HAM AND LIMA BEANS, STEAMED RICE, MUSTARD GREENS, CARRIFRUIT SALAD, CORNBREAD AND BANANA … Continue reading →

Buffet or jambalaya, peas and carrots, tossed salad, orange wedges, whole-wheat roll and milk choice. SANDWICH: Chicken patty. Manager’s choice or turkey and gravy, steamed white rice, sweet potatoes, spinach salad cup, blushing pears and whole-wheat roll.

Texas Brine Co. contractors plugged the final two breaches in a containment berm around the Assumption Parish sinkhole by early Tuesday after heavy rain and high water punched through the incomplete earthen barrier late last week, authorities said. With the holes plugged, Sonny Cranch, spokesman for Texas Brine, said workers resumed on Tuesday the previously planned work … Continue reading →

A Gonzales man was shot and killed early Sunday in Florida by his brother-in-law, police said. Thomas “Gerry” Rangeley, 56, of Gonzales, died at North Okaloosa Medical Center in Crestview, Fla., after being shot once in the chest by a rifle, according to a news release from the Okaloosa County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office. … Continue reading →

GEISMAR — BASF health and safety personnel will conduct a root-cause analysis to determine what led to the injury of four contractors doing routine maintenance Monday at the company’s Ascension Parish plant, officials said Tuesday. The workers, certified electricians employed by Turner Industries, received first- and second-degree burns that were not life-threatening after … Continue reading →

The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office on Monday started its appeal of a judge’s decision earlier this month to suspend Donaldsonville resident Stanley White’s two-year sentence in the 1994 negligent homicide death of 10-week-old Brittany Deville of St. Amant. The state filed a motion for appeal and a motion to supplement the record, requesting a transcript of the … Continue reading →

GONZALES — A trio of councilmen, led by Gary Lacombe, pushed an amendment Monday to slash nearly $1.25 million from the city’s $8.6 million 2013-14 capital outlay budget, sparking heated disagreements with two other councilmen and Mayor Barney Arceneaux. The most controversial change was an $80,000 reduction in the city’s contribution to Kidz Kove Discovery … Continue reading →

SORRENTO — While nearly everything is growing in Ascension Parish, the little town of Sorrento appears stuck in neutral. Ascension, one of the fastest-growing parishes in the state, is continuing a 20-year population boom fueled by good schools and industrial expansion. Meanwhile, Sorrento — a community of 1,401 residents on the parish’s vibrant east … Continue reading →