ANNUAL FESTIVAL TO BENEFIT ST. THERESA FOOD PANTRY SET FOR MARCH 24 ä Page 3G
THE ASCENSION
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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2015 H DONALDSONVILLE • DUTCHTOWN • GEISMAR • GONZALES • PRAIRIEVILLE • ST. AMANT • SORRENTO THEADVOCATE.COM
Ascension deputies slowing their roll
Darlene Denstorff
BY AARON E. LOONEY
“We’re slow-rolling through neighborhoods and subdivisions,� Bergeron said. DONALDSONVILLE — In an ef- “They’ve been told that if fort to slow an unusual spike in they’re going 5 mph, they’re criminal behavior in the parish going too fast.� Bergeron said officers, inseat, Ascension Parish sheriff’s deputies will slow things down cluding himself and his four lieutenants, will leave their when patrolling local streets. Capt. Rick Bergeron, who cruisers more often to speak oversees the sheriff’s Westside to residents they see on the Division, told the City Council streets. The shift comes amid a rash on Tuesday that his department is taking a more proactive ap- of violent crimes in what is a usually quiet city on the parproach in making its rounds.
Special to The Advocate
AROUND ASCENSION
DDENSTORFF@ THEADVOCATE.COM
College trains students to attain
ish’s west bank. Deputies also will focus more on enforcing traffic violations, Bergeron said. The council also addressed an admitted lack of action in demolishing buildings in major disrepair. The Rev. Charles Brown Sr., a member of the council, cited the former Wishing Well bar building on Lessard Street — which has been in major disrepair for years — as an example of such structures.
“The landowner next to this property is trying to fix up his property, but he can’t because this building is hovering over his land,� Brown said. “I’d be upset if I was him.� Councilman Emile Spano also expressed his frustration with the lack of action in having such structures removed, especially in his district. “I’ve been fighting this for eight years,� Spano said. “The system we have in place doesn’t work. Nothing gets done. We’re
River Parishes Community College’s Train to Attain program starts Feb. 23 at the Gonzales campus. The program includes classes in health sciences and skilled crafts, which prepare students for careers as certified nurse aides and welders, a news release from the college said. Classes for high school equivalency credentials also are available. Interested students must take a basic skills test to determine eligibility and placement, the release said. To enroll, call (225) 2392913.
Technology center plans progressing at fast pace Construction at RPCC set to start in March BY DARLENE DENSTORFF
ddenstorff@theadvocate.com
Gardening symposium
The LSU Agricultural Center’s Home Vegetable Gardening Symposium will be from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 5 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 St. Landry Road, Gonzales. Homeowners will learn more about growing vegetables in their home gardens, a news release said. Local extension agents Mariah Bock, of St. James Parish; Stephanie Gravois, of Ascension Parish; Craig Roussel, of Ascension and St. James parishes; and Ed Bush, LSU horticulture professor, will lead the symposium. Topics will include general vegetable production practices, insect identification and control, disease management techniques and information on raised bed vegetable gardening, including research being conducted on growing plants for raised beds. Attendees will view the outdoor demonstration gardens at Lamar-Dixon.
Art exhibit planned
The works of artist Merriann Hornsby will be display through February at the Ascension Parish Library’s Gonzales Branch, 708 S. Irma Blvd. Hornsby’s art chronicles the life of George West, also known as the River Preacher. West, a native of Ascension Parish, began preaching along the Mississippi River area in 1941. In his later years, he returned to the area and could be found, almost daily, at the ferry landing in Baton Rouge, in his long white robe and tall white cross and preaching the gospel. Inspired by the preacher’s äSee AROUND, page 2G
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not doing our job.� Councilmen cited reasons ranging from being too compassionate with owners to having to go through entities such as its Historic District Commission as reasons demolition orders have been delayed or even forgotten. The council voted 4-0 to begin its demolition process on the Wishing Well building, with Council Chairman Raymond Aucoin absent from the meeting.
Advocate staff photos by BILL FEIG
K’Von Albert concentrates while rolling down the track in the 100-meter race with a time of 25.84 seconds during the annual Special Olympics field day for Ascension Parish on Feb. 3 at Dutchtown High School stadium.
FIELD DAY FUN
Ascension’s Special Olympians compete for spot in area games BY CHRISTINE MORGAN
cmarceneaux@theadvocate.com PRAIRIEVILLE — Kenneth Hathron rested on a bench outside of the track at Dutchtown High School Feb. 3 and enthusiastically waited for his event to begin — the 50-yard dash. “I’m ready,â€? Hathron said smiling confidently. The 10-year-old, who attends Lowery Elementary School in Donaldsonville, planned to not only secure his spot in the Special Olympics Area Games, March 4-5 at Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge, during the time trials, he planned to win all three of his scheduled events, adding that he’d probably place first or second. “Last year, I was first in long jump,â€? Hathron said. About 120 special Olympians, from Tyniah Marshall does the long jump as, from left, Roderick Osiagwu, Alexis ages 8 to 99, competed in a variety of Bateman and Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy Scott Charleville watch events, including the 50-yard dash, the during the annual field day. softball throw, bowling, T-ball and golf have some fun on the track. — to name a few, said Jennifer Whitting- May, Whittington said. “The best part is getting out and so“It gives them something to be excited ton, Ascension Parish coordinator for cializing and seeing things outside of about and shows them they can comthe Special Olympics. Donaldsonville,â€? she said. pete in things,â€? said Courtney Smith, a Those who ran the fastest, threw the Despite the success of the local time second-grade special education teacher farthest and performed the best will trials, Whittington said, the number of at Donaldsonville Primary. move on to the Area Games, and those participants was down from last year’s Smith, whose students have learning who place at the Area Games will move disabilities, said the students also get to on to the State Games at Southeastern spend time away from classroom and Louisiana University in Hammond in äSee OLYMPICS, page 4G
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Construction is expected to start in March on River Parishes Community College’s $9.2 million Center for Advanced Technology. It will be the first project funded through Legislative Act 360, which was passed in 2013 and provides funding of more than $200 million for 28 workforce and technology training projects across the state. The technology center will sit directly behind River Parishes Community College’s Edenborne development campus in Gonzales, which opened its doors in May at its new location after a 10-year stint in Sorrento. Heavy rains forced officials with the Louisiana Community and Technical College and RPCC foundation boards to break ground Feb. 4 under a tent. RPCC Chancellor Dale Doty said architectural and construction companies interested in bidding on the project have until Thursday, Feb. 12, to submit qualifications and credentials. Then, in two weeks, five or six companies will be provided the opportunity to bid on the design build project. The contractor will be selected in March and dirt work on the site should begin immediately after the company is selected, Doty said. Doty said the industrial construction boom in the area is creating the need for more well-trained workers and the technical center will fill that void. However, he said, it was 32 area companies and residents that kicked in the remaining money needed to build the center. RPCC foundation board President Lilly Murphy said members of the foundation had äSee TECHNOLOGY, page 2G