ST. AMANT - Two children died early Wednesday after being rescued late Tuesday from a submerged car in Black Bayou off Springer Bridge Road, Louisiana State Police said. The children, seven-year-old Faith Encalade and 9-year-old Patience Encalade, were with Raelyn Encalade, 28, of St. Amant and two other children in the 2003 Mercury Sable that went off the Ascension Parish road … Continue reading →

GONZALES ­— Investigators have not positively identified a safe found in Livingston Parish as the one stolen from an Ascension Parish couple during a Saturday attack in which a woman’s husband and son were killed and she was wounded, authorities said Tuesday. Shirley Marchand is “still fighting for her life” at a hospital under police … Continue reading →

GONZALES — The Lamar-Dixon Expo Center has its first corporate sponsorship, a deal Ascension Parish President Tommy Martinez had hoped would materialize when the parish decided to buy the center in 2009 and make it more financially supporting. The Ascension Parish Council backed the first sponsorship deal in early … Continue reading →

GONZALES — An Ascension Parish woman who survived an attack in which her husband and son were killed on Saturday “is still in grave condition, but she is hanging on,” Sheriff Jeff Wiley said late Monday. Also Monday, deputies were examining a safe found in Livingston Parish that could be the one taken from Shirley … Continue reading →

GONZALES — A safe that fits the general description of the one taken from the Babin Road home of two murder victims on Saturday has been found in Livingston Parish, Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley said Monday. The safe contained a gold coin collection worth an estimated half-million dollars was the apparent motive when … Continue reading →

PORT VINCENT — State traffic engineers plan to fine-tune a La. 16 traffic signal’s light cycle near a future roundabout in Ascension Parish to help prevent heavy traffic from backing up into the new interchange, an official said. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development started work Tuesday on the $1.24 … Continue reading →

GONZALES — Residential and commercial customers of Ascension Water Co. will begin seeing a newly approved increase in water rates of slightly more than 19 percent on bills next month, officials said Friday. On Wednesday in Pineville, the Louisiana Public Service Commission unanimously backed the increases for Ascension Water, a key private water provider in … Continue reading →

VACHERIE — The St. James Parish Council has agreed to consider seating a parish Firemen’s Association representative on the parish Planning Commission. Councilman Ken Brass said during Wednesday’s council meeting the request came from Ryan Louque, president of the St. James Parish Firemen’s Association. Louque said during a Feb. 1 Parish Council meeting that … Continue reading →

LSU Agricultural Center’s annual State 4-H and FFA Livestock Show continues through Saturday at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. Students from around the state will be showing cattle and hogs in the final days of the weeklong event. The exhibitions start at 8 a.m. each day. Admission is free. Continue reading →

DONALDSONVILLE — A man caught committing a duplex break-in early Thursday went into cardiac arrest en route to a hospital and later died after deputies shot him twice with stun guns in an effort to bring him under control, Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley said. Charmin Bennett, 30, 208 Bourg St., dove head-first through the … Continue reading →

PAINCOURTVILLE — A Belle Rose man was killed Wednesday in a collision between his four-wheeler and a pickup on La. 1 in Assumption Parish, State Police reported Thursday. The collision, which happened between Paincourtville and Plattenville around 4 p.m., remains under investigation, but troopers reported they suspect alcohol was a factor … Continue reading →

GONZALES — Six of seven newly appointed Ascension Parish Planning and Zoning Commissioners were sworn in Wednesday in the body’s first meeting since mid-December when the outgoing Parish Council threw out the old commission. Commission attorney Lindsey Manda administered the oath of office for the council appointees as planning commissioners. Manda did not … Continue reading →

GONZALES — Ascension Parish President Tommy Martinez attended a “smart growth” conference earlier this month in San Diego, Calif., that also included a visit with an undisclosed industry eyeing the parish. The New Partners for Smart Growth conference was held Feb. 2- 4 at the San Diego Sheraton Hotel and Marina, … Continue reading →

GONZALES — Assistant District Attorney Charles “Chuck” Long has withdrawn from the March 24 special election for a 23rd Judicial District judgeship, saying he is not ready to close his family law firm to become a judge. Long, 54, a Democrat from Donaldsonville, said Wednesday that the Louisiana Supreme Court informed … Continue reading →

ST. JAMES — A newly formed group of residents from St. James Parish’s 5th District is demanding transparency in efforts by the School Board to build a new football stadium at St. James High School or relocate the high school to North Vacherie. The North Vacherie community comprises the parish’s 6th District, while … Continue reading →

DONALDSONVILLE — City Council members have discussed required changes to council district boundaries with hopes of approving a plan by late March. During its second public hearing on the matter, the council on Tuesday viewed suggested changes made by Magellan Data and Mapping Strategies of Gonzales, its contracted demography firm. Continue reading →

--Chicken and sausage pastalaya, broccoli with cheese, orange wedges, whole-wheat roll, chocolate chip cookies, milk choice --Sandwich: Chicken nuggets --Beef-a-roni, sweet peas, salad cup, peaches, whole-wheat roll, milk choice --Choice: Memphis barbecue, on whole-wheat bun --Hamburger, … Continue reading →

GONZALES -- A proposed design change in the foundation of the Henderson Bayou floodgate is expected to provide the East Ascension drainage board a net savings of about $194,600, parish officials said. Combined with another recent contract change to account for a parish sales tax exemption … Continue reading →

--Beef Swiss-styled patty or pork ribblett with gravy, brown rice, green beans, pickled beets, whole-wheat bread, apple juice --Nutrition Updates: Lisa Weber, Southern Agricultural Center, Gonzales, 10 a.m. --Fast Exercise: Gonzales, 10:45 a.m. --Pilates: Gonzales, 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. --Cajun Needlers: Gonzales, 12:30 p.m. --Barbecue chicken, … Continue reading →

GONZALES -- Tony Turner, 15, spent Saturday doing what he loves most -- skateboarding. Turner and other skateboarders can skate freely these days thanks to a new park dedicated Saturday by parish officials and representatives of the nonprofit foundation that pushed for its opening. Turner, an East Ascension … Continue reading →

Donaldsonville -- The Rev. Jermone LeDoux used humor and his knowledge of history and theology to recount the tale of a New Orleans Catholic church he wrote about in his book “The War of the Pews.” LeDoux’s talk -- a Black History Month lecture on Feb. 9 … Continue reading →

Winners of the River Community Church’s first children’s community art show were honored during a Jan. 29 reception. Seventeen works from area artists ages 5 to 13 were entered in the show. The show was judged by Donna Braud, of the River Region Art Association. Fredricka Anderson won first place in the 5- to 9-year-old … Continue reading →

The Plant Doctor: 4 p.m., Ascension Parish Library, Galvez branch. A Black History Month presentation on George Washington Carver. This program is designed for children in kindergarten through third grade. Program will also be held at 6 p.m. at the Dutchtown branch. For more information, call the Ascension Parish Library in Donaldsonville at (225) 473-8052, … Continue reading →

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at LSU is expanding its offerings into Ascension Parish beginning in March. Courses are designed for those who are 50 and above and love to learn, according to a news release from the OLLI at LSU. March courses include “Basic Watercolor,” … Continue reading →

March 2 is the deadline to register for the LEAP 21 test for non-public school students planning to attend Ascension Parish public schools in August, school officials said. Fourth- or eighth-grade students who are attending non-public schools and plan to enroll in a public school class in August must take the test, Linda Honey,. district test coordinator … Continue reading →

A Baton Rouge grand jury indicted three people and a Baton Rouge personal-care company on forgery charges stemming from a Medicaid fraud investigation by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. Prosecutors said Tuesday Dwaine Joseph Woods, 43, 35297 Beverly Hills Drive, Prairieville, and his company, Millennium Health Care Services LLC, were charged with single counts of conspiracy … Continue reading →

The Louisiana Public Service Commission on Wednesday will consider rate increases for Ascension Water Co. that would boost a variety of customers’ monthly bills by about 19 percent. Commission staff and water company officials reached a joint agreement last month on rate increases on residential and commercial customers as well as increases in a variety of … Continue reading →

GONZALES — The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to divide the 342-acre site known as Edenborne into four tracts. The vote moves the mixed-use development planned near the intersection of Interstate 10 and La. 44 another step closer to becoming a reality, Mayor Barney Arceneaux said. Jackie Baumann, chief engineer for the city, told … Continue reading →

Gonzales — Louisiana State Police said Saturday they were investigating a fatal pedestrian accident in Ascension Parish. The incident, which happened about 2:30 a.m. Saturday on La. 30 west of Gonzales near Ashland Road, killed Christian Salinas, 32, of Houston, Texas, according to a news release. The driver of the truck involved, … Continue reading →

GONZALES — The 340-acre mixed-use development Edenborne is emerging from financial and legal troubles during the past 18 months that escalated to the point that the site was ordered for seizure by Ascension Parish sheriff’s deputies and sold for unpaid taxes. But investors in the project along Interstate 10 in Gonzales … Continue reading →

A driver going the wrong way on Interstate 10 near LaPlace caused a head-on collision that killed himself and four other men instantly in a fiery explosion early Friday morning, State Police said. Continue reading →

GONZALES — Civil and criminal lawyer Matthew Pryor has the experience, community involvement and respect for the U.S. Constitution to be a judge in the 23rd Judicial District, he said in declaring his candidacy for the office. Pryor, 42, a Republican from Geismar, is seeking the court’s Division D seat in the March 24 special … Continue reading →

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at LSU is expanding its offerings into Ascension Parish beginning in March. Courses are designed for those who are 50 and above and love to learn, according to a news release from the OLLI at LSU. March courses include “Basic Watercolor,” “Beginning Spanish” and “Great Decisions,” and will be held at … Continue reading →

GONZALES — Former LSU running back Charles Edward Scott pleaded innocent Thursday to one count of sexual battery of an 18-year-old woman. Ascension Parish sheriff’s deputies arrested Scott, 23, 36604 Plantation Blvd., Prairieville, on a count of simple rape on Nov. 13, deputies have said. Assistant District Attorney Robin O’Bannon filed a bill … Continue reading →

GONZALES — Ascension Parish authorities have arrested one person in connection with the theft of flat screen television sets from stores in Gonzales and Prairieville and are seeking a second, parish sheriff’s deputies said Wednesday. Ryan Anthony Zeringue Jr., 26, is at large and wanted by sheriff’s deputies on one count … Continue reading →

Courting of the suddenly homeless Baton Rouge Balloon Festival was proceeding this week as the nonprofit foundation board overseeing the event hopes to meet next week to discuss the festival’s future. On Tuesday night in Donaldsonville, the Ascension Parish Council backed a resolution without opposition in support of bringing the festival to the parish-owned Lamar-Dixon Expo Center … Continue reading →

--Ascension gumbo, rice, green beans, orange wedges, tossed or potato salad, whole-wheat roll, milk choice --Sandwich: Hamburger --Turkey and sausage jambalaya, white beans, salad cup, bananas, whole-wheat roll, milk choice --Choice: Taco salad or hamburger --Hot … Continue reading →

DONALDSONVILLE -- The grass around the vacant Central Agricultural School building was freshly cut for Friday’s ceremony marking a new partnership between the owners of the 1930s-era schoolhouse and a local nonprofit group. Kathe Hambrick Jackson, the executive director and founder of the River Road African American Museum, said she was able … Continue reading →

--Turkey salad sandwich on whole-wheat bread, vegetable soup, winter-blend vegetables and peach crisp --Zumba Gold: Donaldsonville, 9 a.m. and Gonzales, 10:30 a.m. --Karaoke: Gonzales, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. --Chicken with paprika, cream sauce, green peas, Normandy blend vegetables, whole-wheat bread, jelly cream pie --Blood pressure checks: Cannon … Continue reading →