DONALDSONVILLE • DUTCHTOWN • GEISMAR • GONZALES • PRAIRIEVILLE • ST. AMANT
THE ASCENSION
ADVOCATE T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
Darlene Denstorff AROUND ASCENSION
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W e d n e s d ay, S e p t e m b e r 16, 2026
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Inaugural Heart and Seoul Festival joins two cultures
Riverside Farmers Market opens
Carden Circus coming Carden Circus is coming to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center on Saturday and Sunday. For tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/4vk2c7kh.
Donaldsonville Free Clinic Sept. 19
Gonzales Hispanic Heritage Festival Sunday Learn about Hispanic culture Sunday at the Gonzales Hispanic Heritage Festival in Jambalaya Park. For information, call Samera Welch at (225) 357-9541 or Maria Truett at (225) 348-4549.
Jambalaya Festival Association plans Car Show The Jambalaya Festival Association is hosting a car show at 8 a.m. Saturday at its building, 222 S. Francois Ave., Gonzales. The event will also include a cooking demonstration. Entry fee is $30 and for more information, call Rodney Savoy at (225) 715-5207. Only 15 registrations will be accepted. To register, email chantalcorrell@yahoo.com
Nature and Bird Walk set Learn about nature along the Amite River Sanctuary, 45141 Manny Gautreau Road, Prairieville from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday during a nature and bird walk. Bring water, bug spray, sunscreen, binoculars and closedtoe shoes.
Health fair planned for Capital Area Agency for Aging “Healthy Hearts, Happy Lives” is the theme for the Oct. 29 Capital Area Agency for Aging’s health fair. The event will be at LamarDixon Expo Center’s Rev Center in Gonzales. Businesses and organizations wishing to share information at the event, can call the Capital Area Agency on Aging at (225) 922-2525 or visit capitalaaa.org/ annual-health-fair-expo. 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.
ASCENSION SPORTS
Ascension Christian part of 2-0 teams to start season
The Riverside Farmers Market opened Sept. 5 and runs through Dec. 26 at 45020 Manny Gautreau Road, Prairieville. The market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
Free dental, vision and medical care will be provided Saturday at the Lemann Memorial Center. Care will be provided from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. No appointments are needed. The event is sponsored by West Ascension Parish Hospital and Louisiana Healthcare Connections.
Troy LeBoeuf
PHOTOS BY WENDY LOUP
Tracy Pruitt, left, of Walker, watches her husband, Dennis ‘BamBam’ and granddaughter, Abby, 4, play a game during the Heart and Seoul Festival in Donaldsonville.
Hyundai steel plant hosts event BY WENDY LOUP Contributing writer
Donaldsonville and Ascension Parish residents enjoyed Korean culture during the Heart and Seoul Festival on Sept. 6 at Louisiana Square. Hyundai-Posco Louisiana Steel hosted an afternoon of family activities, games, and musical entertainment to meet and greet residents. The event featured 20 vendors including food trucks, craft and bakery vendors, and local organizations. Live music was provided by Red Tape Musiq, King PaKaYea’ Band, and Royal Essence. The company recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $5.8 billion steel plant which is scheduled to open in 2029. Hyundai-POSCO has said the plant will create 1,000 jobs and
The Heart and Seoul Festival, hosted by Hyundai-Posco Louisiana Steel, featured family-friendly games and activities on Sept. 6 at Louisiana Square in Donaldsonville. employment opportunities while about the plant being built in Donthe steel will be used for Hyundai, aldsonville. Kia and Genesis vehicles. The Heart and Seoul Festival Some residents and advocacy ä See FESTIVAL, page 2G groups have voiced concerns
VFW Auxiliary offers scholarship opportunities during Red, White & Youth School Kickoff BY WENDY LOUP Contributing writer
VFW Post 3693 Auxiliary welcomed students into the new school year Saturday during its Red, White & Youth School Kickoff. The family-friendly event passed out scholarship opportunity information and included games, prizes, giveaways and free food. The LSU AgCenter’s 4-H Extension, Ascension Parish Library and 7th District Volunteer Fire Department were among the organizations on hand to provide information about their services. Post 3693 Auxiliary President Antoinette Nolen said the new school year brings new contests
and scholarship opportunities for students of all grades. “Our school kickoff is to bring awareness to the educational scholarships our auxiliary offers,” Nolen said. “We try to help students achieve a great future in college.” Veterans of Foreign Wars scholarships start locally, and winners advance to district, state and national levels. Both VFW posts and the VFW auxiliaries separately sponsor various scholarships. Scholarships awarded range from $500 to $15,000. The top scholarship is the Patriotic Audio Essay Competition grand prize of $35,000. Students’ participation for schol-
arships includes submitting written essays, voice audio essays and original art entries. Saturday’s event provided students applications, requirements and deadlines for the scholarship process. Some examples of scholarship contests sponsored by the local and national Veterans of Foreign Wars include: n VFW Auxiliary Americanism Art and Essay Contest: For students in kindergarten through fifth grade; deadline is Oct. 31. n VFW’s Voice of Democracy Patriotic Audio Essay Competition: For students grades 9-12; deadline is Oct. 31.
ä See KICKOFF, page 3G
Ascension Christian coach Conrad Gayle has a simple message for his team each week: The goal is 1-0. “We look at the game in front of us, respect our opponent and strive to be 1-0. What matters is how you respond, how you battle and how you finish,” Gayle said. The Lions beat Central Private 26-22 to move to 2-0 on the season. Ascension Christian rushed for 372 yards on the ground and passed for 106. Jayse LeBlanc had a night, recording 105 receiving yards and 67 rushing yards plus three touchdowns. Luke Denton added 79 rushing yards, a touchdown and two-point conversion as well as a fumble recovery on defense. Kason Tanner had 93 rushing yards and an interception on defense. Central Private was going to be a challenge for the Lions and Gayle had some nice things to say about them. “We have a lot of respect for coach Holden and his program. This game is always a battle; they are well coached. It was a great atmosphere for high school football,” Gayle said. The Lion defense had to step up several times during the game and were led by some veterans. “We were led by our experienced guys, Lane Bufalo and Preston LeBlanc,” the coach said. “Brock Nabors had a fumble recovery. We made plays in the second half when we needed to, very proud of the effort.” Winning isn’t easy and Gayle is thankful for his team’s fortitude. “It wasn’t pretty at times; our ability to respond when needed is what I am proud of. We battled in the second half and had success running the football,” Gayle said. Gayle is thankful his team was able to battle through tough times. “We made some mistakes, turned the football over, but the players and coaches never put their heads down. We simply went back to work and controlled what we could. I am very proud of our program and the goal was accomplished, go 1-0,” Gayle said.
2-0 teams to start the season Ascension Catholic went to 5A Hammond and won 43-7. Raif Melancon led the Bulldogs with three touchdowns and an interception. Jacob Julien had an interception and a punt return for a touchdown. QB Greg Ferenadez and receiver Johhny Viallon connected for a touchdown. Coach Taylor James’ team jumped out early and never looked back. East Ascension traveled to Sam Houston and left with a 34-31 victory. Coach Brock
ä See LEBOEUF, page 2G
Zoning Commission recommends first data center regulations BY ANNAKATE FREELAND
hour of discussion and amendments to a proposed ordinance. The ordinance now moves to the The Ascension Parish Zoning Parish Council, which will have Commission took its first steps the final vote on whether to adopt Wednesday toward establishing the regulations. The council’s next new regulations for high-impact meeting is set for Sept. 17. Under the draft ordinance, highdevelopment facilities, including data centers, after more than an impact development facilities
Staff writer
would include data centers, cloud computing facilities, artificial intelligence computing facilities, cryptocurrency and blockchain computing facilities, server farms and substantially similar digital infrastructure. These facilities would be permitted in heavy industrial zones and
under conditional use in medium and light industrial zones. In heavy industrial zones, the facilities would be allowed as a “use by right,” but in medium and light industrial zones, applicants would go before the Zoning Commission, which would make a recommendation to the Parish Council. The
council would have final authority to approve or deny the application following a public hearing. Proposed facilities would be responsible for 100% of the cost of any power generation, substation or transmission line upgrades
ä See ZONING, page 2G
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FESTIVAL
Continued from page 1G gave residents and plant employees the chance to experience each other’s cultures while having fun. Tamiko Francis Garrison, 1st Justice Court justice of the peace, helped organize the event. She said the day is about celebrating the future of Donaldsonville, particularly for education. Garrison’s daughter, Tamiko Stroud, is Hyundai POSCO Louisiana Steel’s external affairs specialist. “My daughter, Tamiko, came up with the Heart and Seoul Festival name,” Garrison said. “The ‘Heart’ stands for Ascension Parish, the West Bank and Modeste, while ‘Seoul’ is for South Korea.” Garrison, who is a long-time organizer of the city’s Juneteenth Music Festival, said the addition of the Hyundai plant brings a plethora of educational and career opportunities for students in the area. The company is partnering with River Parishes Community College to help provide education and training for specialized trades which will be utilized at the steel plant. “For me, this is about education and educating those in Ascension Parish,” Garrison said. “They have the chance to get a degree at River Parishes Community College, or Nicholls and businesses like Hyundai and CF Industries PHOTOS BY WENDY LOUP want to hire those educated here. Vergie Dugas, top left, owner of Vergie’s Wreaths and her granddaughter Jamie Landry, pose for a photo during the Hyundai-Posco Louisiana Steel “My focus is on education for children here, even beginning Heart and Seoul Festival. with Head Start. And this project Red Tape Musiq gives Donaldsonville schools a performs Sept. 6 at seat at the table.” Donaldsonville Mayor Leroy Louisiana Square Sullivan said the festival gave resduring the Heart and idents and local vendors a chance Seoul Festival. to meet employees of HyundaiPosco in a relaxed and fun setting. “We’ve had a great turnout today,” Sullivan said. “Having Hyundai here is a great opportunity for the community as a whole. Today is about learning and communicating with one another. “They’ve really outdone themselves and we recently had the groundbreaking ceremony. The company is helping our city and parish to prosper. They’ve given us an incredible commitment to grow and expand the West Bank like we’ve never had before.” Vendors at the festival enjoyed meeting the plant employees and learning more about the plant. Donaldsonville resident Vergie Dugas, owner of Vergie’s Wreaths, said the festival’s atmosphere was welcoming and family friendly. “This is a gathering where they (Hyundai employees) can see what we have here and our home,” Dugas said. “This gives residents a chance to get to know them as well.”
LEBOEUF
Continued from page 1G Matherne’s team looks poised for another strong season and a deep playoff run. QB Zaylen Smith is off to a strong start for the Spartans. Dutchtown went to ED White and won 357, a strong defensive performance for coach Guy Mistretta and his team. The Griffins are coming off a 5-5 season and look to get back into playoffs and make a deep run. St. Amant won 60-0 over Liberty and look
like a contender in D1 nonselect. Coach David Oliver has a strong offensive and defensive line. Running back Jourden Hickerson can carry the load behind a veteran offensive line.
Scores and Week 3 games n St. Amant 60, Liberty 0
Next: hosts JF Kennedy n East Ascension 34, Sam Houston 31 Next: vs St Augustine in the Caeser’s Superdome n Dutchtown 35, ED White 7 Next: at St Michael n Prairieville 41, Ponchatoula 34
Next: at Brusly n Lutcher 57, Donaldsonville 20 Next: at White Castle n Ascension Catholic 43, Hammond 7 Next: host South Terrebonne n Ascension Christian 26, Central Private 22 Next: at Thrive Academy on Thursday
Ascension Parish Middle School scores and standings n Central Middle 14, Bluff 12 n Dutchtown 21, Galvez 0
n Prairieville 22, Gonzales 0
n St. Amant 20, Lowery 0 n Prairieville 2-0 n Dutchtown 2-0 n Central 2-0 n Lake 1-0
n St. Amant 1-1 n Bluff 0-1
n Gonzales 0-2 n Lowery 0-2 n Galvez 0-2
Troy LeBoeuf covers sports for the Ascension Advocate. He can be reached at troyleboeuf@hotmail.com or ascension@theadvocate.com.
ZONING
Ascension Parish Planning and Zoning Commissioner Max Nassar, far left, looks at at the other commissioners during the public hearing at Ascension Parish Courthouse on July 8.
Continued from page 1G required to serve the facility. They also would not be allowed to rely on any existing electrical infrastructure to supply their power needs. The commission approved an amendment that, prior to submitting an application, the applicant must conduct two community meetings to talk with the public about the project. The applicant must then produce minutes and audio recordings to be submitted to the commission.
STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS
THE ASCENSION
ADVOCATE THE ASCENSION ADVOCATE 40444 Cannon Road Gonzales, LA 70737 (225) 388-0215 PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Online at theadvocate.com/ baton_rouge/news/communities/ ascension/
COMMUNITY SECTION EDITOR
Darlene T. Denstorff ddenstorff@theadvocate.com OFFICE: (225) 388-0215 CELL: (225) 603-1998 RIVER PARISHES WRITER Christopher Cartwright christopher.cartwright@theadvocate.com (225) 388-0125
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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Wednesday, September 16, 2026 ■ 3G
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PHOTOS BY WENDY LOUP
VFW member Jared Nolen, left, reads to children Saturday during the VFW Post 3693 Auxiliary’s Red, White & Youth School Kickoff in Gonzales.
KICKOFF
Continued from page 1G n VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Contest: For students in 9-12 grades; deadline is March 31. n VFW Auxiliary 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest: For grades 9-12; deadline is March 31. Community organizations that participated in Saturday’s Red, White & Youth School Kickoff offered games and pamphlets. LSU’s AgCenter’s 4-H Extension representatives spoke to students about what they can learn being in 4-H. “We are hoping to recruit new members in our youth development program,” Assistant Extension Agent Cheyenne Moran said. “We accept any public, private and homeschool students. “Our club projects help students focus on their specific interests in 4-H. We offer scholarships for graduating high school 4-H senior members.” Upcoming events at VFW Post 3693 include the Vet Jam Jambalaya Cook-off and Christmas at the Post — both events are Saturday, Nov. 7. For more information about scholarship opportunities, email VFW Post 3693 Commander Josh Snyder, 3693vfw@gmail. com; Auxiliary President Antoinette Nolen, vfw3693aux@ gmail.com.
The VFW Post 3693 Auxiliary hosted Saturday’s Red, White & Youth School Kickoff. The event featured information about VFW contests and scholarship opportunities.
LSU AgCenter Youth Development assistant extension agents Cheyenne Moran, left, and Anna Sharkey attend Saturday’s Red, White & Youth School Kickoff at VFW Post 3693.
7th District volunteer firefighters Blake Heck, left, and Amber Pickens participate in attend Saturday’s Red, White & Youth School Kickoff at VFW Post 3693.
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HERITAGE CROSSING IN GONZALES
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Preston
Tour bus operator
“The future’s happening here in Richland Parish.” Kaycie
Coffee shop owner
Lindsay
Food truck owner
$1.6 billion for Louisiana businesses. Catering for 40 people used to be a good week. Now they hit 400. And that’s just the tacos. From coffee shops to bus tours, Meta’s Richland Parish investment is already paying off for businesses across Louisiana.
The future is for everyone. meta.com/BuildingLouisiana