DONALDSONVILLE • DUTCHTOWN • GEISMAR • GONZALES • PRAIRIEVILLE • ST. AMANT
THE ASCENSION
ADVOCATE T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
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W e d n e s d ay, D e c e m b e r 31, 2025
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Darlene Denstorff AROUND ASCENSION
Happy New Year The staff at The Advocate’s Community News Sections wish all our readers a Happy New Year. We encourage you to share your news and story ideas with us. You can call me at (225) 603-1998 or email ascension@theadvocate.com.
Need pecans cracked? The Arc of East Ascension is offering to crack pecans for 50 cents a pound. Drop off pecans from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1122 S. East Ascension Complex Blvd. in Gonzales. For information, call (225) 621-2000.
Food distributions set Ascension Parish’s commodity distribution is set for the second Tuesday of each month in Donaldsonville and the second Wednesday of the month in Gonzales. Distributions are from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Frank Sotile Jr. Pavilion in Donaldsonville and the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. All recipients must be prequalified by visiting the Ascension Parish Health Unit, 1024 E. Ascension Complex Blvd., in Gonzales, or the Donaldsonville courthouse, 300 Houmas St. Contact Layne Melancon at (225) 450-1006 or layne.melancon@fmolhs.org.
Gonzales Gun Show planned Buy or trade guns and browse the hundreds of displays of new and old guns, ammo, gun parts, books, knives, knife sharpening, coins, camouflage, and related items at discounted prices during the Gonzales Gun at Lamar-Dixon Center. The show is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 3 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 4.
Mardi Gras parade set The Krewe of Dville’s Mardi Gras Parade will roll at 2 p.m. Jan. 4, starting on Marchand Drive, turning on to Church Street, then Railroad Avenue and ending at Mississippi Street.
CARA’s House needs fosters CARA’s House Animal Shelter is in need of volunteers, fosters and adopters for the pets at its shelter. And if you’re missing your pet, don’t forget to call the shelter to see if it has been turned over. For information, visit www. carashouse.com. Contact Darlene Denstorff by phone, (225) 388-0215 or (225) 603-1998; or email, ascension@theadvocate.com or ddenstorff@theadvocate. com. Deadline: 5 p.m. Friday.
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
Couples Greg and Sue Duplessis, left, and Sherry and Dooney Laiche celebrated their 50th wedding anniversaries. To commemorate the marriages a wooden wedding cake was burned during the annual Laiche and Duplessis family bonfire.
2025 in photos
BY DARLENE DENSTORFF Community news editor
As the year comes to an end, many of us reflect upon how the year went. As an editor, I like to look back on the photos published on these pages. I’m lucky to work with some talented photojournalists who tell stories with their images. I also receive a wealth of submitted photos from readers who want to share their news with our readers. It’s been a rough year for my family and my newspaper family. The death of my husband in August was unexpected and disrupted things for quite a while. I’m thankful for my friends, relatives and readers who have helped me through these difficult times. Here are my favorite shots and memories from January to June of 2025.
January A photo from the Laiche and Duplessis bonfire reminded me of the families’ long-standing tradition of erecting a nontraditional bonfire for New Year’s Eve. The bonfire was a 15-foot-tall, wooden layered wedding cake-shaped structure celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary’s of Sherry and Dooney Laiche and Greg and Sue Duplessis. My favorite didn’t make the paper, but shows the joy of family traditions. I see they’re at it again. Construction is underway at the Laiche’s La. 74 home and the burn is planned for New Year’s Eve. I’ve been attending livestock shows since I was a child. I grew up on a farm with hogs, chickens and cows, but I
Ascension Parish seniors play key roles in Red Stick Bowl Several Ascension Parish senior football players represented their schools one last time in the annual Red Stick Bowl played at Olympia Stadium in Baton Rouge.
Wolves Donaldsonville: Quinnton Dabney, Donald Brown, Tre’Shawn Dunham, RayShawn Dunham Ascension Catholic: Trevin Simon, Vaughn Blanchard, Christopher Anthens, Josh Barber
Bulldogs Dutchtown: England Phillips Jr.
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
Karie Catalanotto, 9, practices walking her Yorkshire Cross swine with Paul Liche during the Ascension ä See PHOTOS, page 4G Parish Livestock Show at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center.
Troy LeBoeuf ASCENSION SPORTS
East Ascension: Javon Javius, Tony Miles, Javaughn Matthews, Cameron Stone Prairieville: Braylon Williams, Eric
ä See LEBOEUF, page 3G
Krewe of Dville names court
Community news report
The Krewe of Dville’s 2026 Mardi Gras, presented by the city of Donaldsonville and CF Industries, is preparing to roll up Marchand Drive and down Railroad Avenue on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m., and revealing its 2026 Mardi Gras royalty. The Krewe of Dville’s Mardi Gras grand marshal is Quintin D. Taylor. Quintin is the chancellor of River Parishes Community College, where he leads with a focus on student success,
Krewe of Dville’s Mardi Krewe of Dville’s 2026 Krewe of Dville Queen Mardi Gras King Chul LaTonya SullivanGras Grand Marshal Prejean ‘Charles’ Soon Jang ä See COURT, page 2G Quintin D. Taylor
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PHOTOS BY WENDY LOUP
Houmas House Estate and Gardens’ guests take pictures Dec. 21. The grounds were decorated for the holiday season featuring lights, large tree ornaments and garland.
Houmas House dresses up for holiday season BY WENDY LOUP Contributing writer
The Houmas House Estate and Gardens in Darrow welcomed guests with festive decorations on the grounds Sunday, Dec. 21.
Sunlight shines through Houmas House Estate and Gardens decorated oak tree.
The estate’s oak trees displayed large Christmas ornaments and lights. Houmas House hosted the Holiday Brass concert featuring the Baton Rouge Symphony as well as Walk In A Winter Wonderland tours throughout December.
The oak trees at the Houmas House Estate and Gardens featured Christmas decorations such as reindeer flying in the air with Santa’s sleigh.
COURT
Continued from page 1G institutional improvement and strategic partnerships. Appointed in June 2022, he has driven a transformative agenda doubling enrollment and graduates, reducing the college’s deficit, and leading generational workforce and economic development projects. He has launched innovative programs such as the Rougarou Plus One Scholarship and the Energy Partners for Innovation and Collaboration (EPIC) Consortium, aligning the college with regional energy and industrial-workforce needs. Previously, he served as Chief Public Affairs Officer for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, where he worked to expand access, supported legislative wins and led statewide campaigns supporting workforce development. With over 20 years of executive leadership in education, government and professional sports, Taylor has expertise in public affairs, strategic communications, higher education strategy and organizational change management. A Miami, Florida native, he holds degrees from Bethune-Cookman University and LSU and is pursuing his doctorate in higher education leadership at Northwestern State University. The Krewe of Dville’s 2026 Mardi Gras king is Chul “Charles” Soon Jang. Charles is president of Hyundai Steel Louisiana, where he leads operations and strategic growth for the company’s U.S. presence. He brings more than two decades of experience in steel marketing, trade strategy and corporate leadership. He began his career in 2003 with Korean Steel Company Marketing and later served as an expatriate in Thailand. In 2010, he joined Hyundai Steel’s
Sales Division, advancing through key positions including trade strategy team leader. In 2022, he was appointed head of Hyundai Steel’s Washington, D.C., office, representing the company’s interests in the U.S. capitol. In July, he assumed his current role as president of Hyundai Steel Louisiana. Charles earned his bachelor’s degree in geological science from Seoul National University and a Master of Business Administration from Université libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. He is committed to fostering partnerships, advancing Hyundai Steel’s role in the U.S. market and contributing to the economic vitality of the communities where the company operates. The Krewe’s 2026 Mardi Gras queen is LaTonya Sullivan-Prejean. SullivanPrejean is a dedicated law enforcement professional and military veteran with more than 18 years of service to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office. She is the daughter of Mayor Leroy and Wanda Sullivan. Sullivan-Prejean was raised in Donaldsonville with a strong commitment to leadership, community service and integrity. A U.S. Army veteran, Sullivan-Prejean continued her path of service in law enforcement shortly after completing her military duties. She began her career with the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in pre-trial release before transferring to the patrol division, where she gained foundational experience serving and protecting the community. Her strong investigative abilities and determination led to her promotion to detective in the Violent Crimes Unit, where she worked on some of the parish’s most challenging and high-profile cases. Through dedication, professionalism, and exemplary leadership, Sullivan-Prejean rose through the ranks and now serves as Captain over the Patrol Division in District 1 (Donaldsonville), continuing her commitment
to public safety with integrity and courage. Sullivan-Prejean is a 1996 graduate of Donaldsonville High School and a 2025 graduate of River Parish Community College, where she earned an associate degree in criminal justice. Sullivan-Prejean has been married to her husband, Blake Prejean, for eight years, and she has one daughter, DaJhe’ Sullivan. New to the Mardi Gras parade, the Krewe of Dville added maids. Each krewe member is presenting a high school junior or senior to the community. They are: n Maid LaQuana T’Miah Sullivan, a senior at Donaldsonville High. n Maid Georgia Ann Vega, a senior at Ascension Catholic. n Maid Taylor Nicole North, a senior at Lutcher High. n Maid Jamiya Stevenson, a junior at Donaldsonville High. n Maid Allayana Carter, a senior at Donaldsonville High. n Maid Jelani Johnson, a senior at Donaldsonville High. n Maid Keianna Marie Nailer, a senior at Donaldsonville High. n Maid Lael Kylin Judson, a junior at Dunham School. The Parade Committee members are Mayor Leroy Sullivan, Tamiko Francis Garrison (chair), Jeffery Henry, Steven Joseph, Kee Kee Julien-Judson, Tyrone Madison Jr. and Juanita Pearley. The presenting sponsors are the city of Donaldsonville and CF Industries. The purple sponsor is CareSouth. The gold sponsor is McKim and Creed. Parade route captains are members of ASAP Riders, Donaldsonville Lions Club, Desiree Sanders and Ira Garrison. For more information, email DvilleCOC@bellsouth.net or Terraz6899@aol.com.
Large ornaments and lights decorate the oak trees at Houmas House Estate and Gardens in Darrow.
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Bulldogs quarterback Cooper Babin, of St. Amant, scrambles in the pocket against the Wolves in the Red Stick Bowl.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Donaldsonville and Ascension Catholic senior football players teamed up for the Wolves in the Red Stick Bowl played at Olympia Stadium. Gathering on the sidelines, front row from left, are Christopher Anthens, Quinnton Dabney, Donald Brown, Tre’Shawn Dunham, Trevin Simon, Josh Barber and RayShawn Dunham and back, Vaughn Blanchard.
LEBOEUF
Wolves quarterback Justice Roy, of North Iberville, hands the ball off to Wolves running back Trevin Simon, of Ascension Catholic.
Wolves wide receiver Dwayne Ben, of Scotlandville, is tackled by Bulldogs defensive back Damarion Williams, of Broadmoor, and Bulldogs linebacker Tony Miles, of East Ascension, as Bulldogs defensive back DJ Coleman, of University High looks on in the Red Stick Bowl on Dec. 20 at BREC’s Olympia Stadium in Baton Rouge.
Continued from page 1G Williams, Gabe Ford, Brody Creel St. Amant: Cooper Babin Ascension Catholic’s Josh Barber was selected as the Wolves defensive lineman MVP. Prairieville’s Braylon Williams was selected as the Bulldogs defensive back MVP. Dutchtown’s England Phillips Jr. was selected as the Bulldogs offensive lineman MVP. Coach Billy Brown, of Ascension Catholic, served as an assistant for the Wolves and coach Calvin Rhines, of Donaldsonville, served as an assistant for the Wolves. Coach Clark Nocentelli and coach Terrel Williams, of Prairieville, served as assistant coaches for the Wolves. The Bulldogs won 34-30 over the Wolves. Troy LeBoeuf covers sports for STAFF PHOTOS BY HILARY SCHEINUK the Ascension Advocate. He can be reached at troyleboeuf@ Bulldogs quarterback Cooper Babin, of St. Amant, reaches over the goal line for the touchdown as Wolves hotmail.com or ascension@ defensive lineman Josh Barber, of Ascension Catholic, attempts to push him out of bounds in the Red Stick theadvocate.com or on Twitter Bowl. @Troyleboeuf.
THE ASCENSION
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PHOTOS
Continued from page 1G never competed with our animals. I’m always impressed with the youth who commit to exhibiting their animals. Reporter Wendy Loup captured the determination and commitment of Karie Catalanotto during a practice walk with her hog before the Ascension Parish Livestock show.
February Car shows have become a popular way for local groups to raise money and for antique car owners to display their prized possessions. Reporter Wendy Loup attended several this year, including the Rev Up for Research Char Show at St. Amant High School that raised money for the school’s Distributive Education Club of America and St. Judge Children’s Hospital. History was made when Gonzales Jambalaya Festival Queen Gracie Guillot was crowned the queen of the Louisiana Association’s of Fairs and Festival’s pageant. It was the first Jambalaya Queen to win the statewide crown. Donaldsonville celebrated Mardi Gras with its own parade. Frequent photo contributor Chuck Montero submitted a few photos from the westbank parade. Advocate photojournalist Javier Gallegos captured the spirit of Special Olympics in photos taken Feb. 19 at the Ascension Time Trials at Dutchtown High. A photo of Lester Favai and Dylan Bailey shows the joy of the event.
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
The Rev Up for Research car show raised funds for both St. Jude Research Children’s Hospital and St. Amant High School’s Distributive Education Club of America chapter.
March Reporter Wendy Loup took her notebook and camera to the Southeast Louisiana Junior High School rodeo for a March 5 story. It’s always fun to interview the students involved in rodeo. Loup attends lots of fundraisers throughout the year, including one for a March story on the VFW Post 3693 chili cook-off. The event raised money for Books for Boots. Loup also spends lots of time covering events at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center. In March, she attended the HERPS Exotic Reptile & Pet Show. Another Lamar-Dixon event for Loup included the Greater Baton Rouge Cat Show.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Gonzales Jambalaya Festival Queen Gracie Guillot makes history as she’s crowned the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals Queen during a convention in Baton Rouge.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY CHUCK MONTERO
The Krewe of Prevost float rolls in the Donaldsonville Mardi Gras parade.
May We love a good tradition, and the East Ascension High senior pond jump is one we don’t miss. May brings graduation and we try to attend as many as possible. When we can’t go, we ask community photographer to chip in. Chuck Montero contributed photos from the Ascension Catholic Diocesan Reginal School’s Class of 2025 annual cap toss outside the church. Advocate photojournalist Hilary Scheinuk photographed Prairieville High first graduation ceremony. May ends every year with the Jambalaya Festival. Loup walked between the tiny pots of jambalaya being cooked during the Junior Jambalaya Cooking Contest to capture young cooks showing off their skills.
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
Greater Baton Rouge Cat Show Judge Kenny Currie holds one of his top choices for All-breed STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS during Saturday’s competitions at the LamarStudent athletes and friends Lester Nevai, facing the Dixon Expo Center. This double coat Persian camera, and Dylan Bailey hug each other after finishing first was one of 200 cats showcased. and second respectively at the 100 meter spring during the Special Olympic Time Trials at Dutchtown High School on Feb. 19. The event had Ascension Parish School District students from primary, middle and high schools competing.
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
Heather Collier, of Collier’s Creatures, holds her 5-year-old Albino Pine snake “Mac n Cheese” March 1 during HERPS Exotic Reptile & Pet Show at the LamarDixon Expo Center.
Ascension Catholic Diocesan Regional School Class of 2025 toss caps into the air May 10 after a graduation Mass in Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church. PROVIDED PHOTO BY CHUCK MONTERO
June Photographer Molly Bahlinger captured the competition at the Baton Rouge Kennel Club and Riverside West Kennel Club of Greater New Orleans’ annual Jambalaya Cluster Dog Show in Gonzales.
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
Reese James 16, left, and Gracie Amedee, 15, both students at St. Amant High School, stand with their horses during the Southeast Louisiana Junior and High School Rodeo in Gonzales.
STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS
Students line up to flip into the water during the annual end of year East Ascension High School pond jump after seniors finished their final tests on May 1. STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
PHOTO BY MOLLY BAHLINGER
Samantha Niemeck, native of Slidell, rewards her dog Brewsky in an Australian shepherd competition.
Founder and Director of Books for Boots Melissa Singletary, left, and her daughter, Marine Lance Cpl. Mackayla Singletary, set up their tent Feb. 15, during VFW 3693’s chili cook-off. Proceeds raised by the event benefited Books for Boots.
Andrew DeGregorio dances after receiving his diploma as the Hurricanes celebrate the inaugural graduation at Prairieville High School on May 8.
14-year-old Jayden White, right, smells his pot of jambalaya during Junior Jambalaya Champ contest. Cooking helper Jason Beck holds the pot lid. White won the contest. The new large pot competition for those 12-17 years of age had seven entrants. PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP