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, Au g u s t 13, 2025
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Parish Council removes Price from hospital board
Darlene Denstorff AROUND ASCENSION
Learn to be prepared at the library Disaster Preparedness with AARP Louisiana will meet at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Gonzales Branch of the Ascension Parish Library. Empower yourself with lifesaving skills and knowledge about how to prepare for disasters. Representatives from AARP Louisiana will discuss strategies and practical tips to help you prepare, stay safe, and protect yourself and your loved ones during times of potential crisis. Sign up for Ascension Parish Library at www.myapl.org. Other events include: n DIY Back-to-School Photos all day Friday at the Gonzales, Galvez, Dutchtown and Donaldsonville branches. From preschool to college capture the start of the new year with a school-themed photo backdrop. Take a selfie or a group pic with your family and tag the library when you post them @myaplibrary. If you don’t have a cellphone, the library can take pictures with its iPad and email them to you or print a picture for free. n Mindful Chair Yoga with Jada Kerek at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the Gonzales Branch. Cancer patients and caregivers will learn yoga to help with cancer-related fatigue, sleep improvement and reduction in stress and anxiety and to improve strength, balance and promote mindfulness. Attendees are welcome to bring yoga mats. Registration is required. n Running it Back: A History of Local Sports with Eric Brownfield, an educator and coach at East Ascension High School, at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Dutchtown Branch. Discuss legendary Ascension Parish athletes, teams and coaches. Registration required.
BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
ä See AROUND, page 2G
Parish School District is entirely new this year: cosmetology. Offered on both the east and west banks of the parish, the class will introduce students to cosmetic treatments — such as hairstyling and skin care — and
ä See COSMETOLOGY, page 2G
ä See COUNCIL, page 2G
Cosmetology teacher Gretchen Scott curls hair while putting on a demonstration in the new class room at the Donaldsonville High School.
‘People are so excited’
Vote for the best ride Voting for the second annual virtual car show hosted by Hwy 44 Paint and Body in Gonzales ends Friday. Owner and manager of Hwy 44 Ryan Wimberley said they love hosting the event because “it gives those who may not otherwise go to car shows or are new to the scene a chance to showcase their classic car.” Visit the Hwy 44 Paint & Body Facebook page to vote on the vehicles posted using the like and heart buttons on Facebook. At the end of the week, the car with the most reactions is crowned the winner.
In a contentious vote, the Ascension Parish Council removed the vice chairman of the Prevost Memorial Hospital board a little more than a week after he was arrested for allegedly obstructing justice. Glenn Price, 68, has served on the board since late 2023. He maintained his innocence and asked the council to wait until the charges were decided in court. “It’s predicated on charges — no convictions — charges,” he said of the resolution to remove him. “I always refer to these charges as bogus charges, because these charges were brought upon me when I decided to run for mayor of Donaldsonville.” Police arrested Price last October, and he faces felony charges of illegal possession of stolen property over $25,000, money laundering over $100,000, and illegal transmission of monetary funds. His recent arrest was in connection with those allegations, an Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Department spokesperson said. A motion by council member Oliver Joseph to defer the decision until Nov. 1 failed 8-3, with council members Joseph, Tyler Turner, and Tia Starr voting in favor of it. The council, which needed a two-thirds majority vote to remove Price, split along the same 8-3 lines in voting to remove him. Donaldsonville residents, including fellow hospital board members Tanya Mitchell and Dr. Charie Mitchell-Levy, spoke in Price’s defense. Mitchell pointed to his work at the hospital, including helping start its recent youth summer camp. “His ideas are great. He’s an advocate, a leader in the community, and most of all a force for moving our hospital operations forward,” she said. “He’s very involved in health care for the community, and he supports the community.” Trevis Fernandez, a member of the Donaldsonville board of adjustments, spoke about working with Price as part of the Sunrise Community Group, a local advocacy organization. “I ask that you give him his day in court and table this matter,” he said. “Give him a chance. Give him a chance to prove himself.” Spencer Chauvin, the son of an architect who has sued the hospital over alleged unpaid work, supported the resolution. In his comments, he charged that the board had withheld records and pushed the council to investigate the rest of the board. “My concern is that the council will stop investigating this hospital board once the resolution with Mr. Price has been decided,” he said. “The removal of Mr. Price would simply be scratching the surface in regards to the unsavory tactics being used by this board during the lawsuit.” Speaking after his removal, Price said he planned to sue the Ascension Parish Council over the removal and
STAFF PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
Judge Tamiko Francis Garrison checks out the new cosmetology room at the high school before students arrive on the first day on Thursday in Donaldsonville.
Ascension Parish School District introduces cosmetology classes
BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT
Staff writer
As the sun lifted over the Mississippi River in Donaldsonville and burned off early-morning mist, school buses cruised the streets while teachers prepared for the first day of class at Don-
Dutchtown’s Dotter healthy, excited for season ahead season leading the Senior Zach Dotprogram and his 33rd ter recalls the start season overall. of his junior football Losing a large numseason at Dutchtown, a memory he hopes is ber of seniors will in the past as he prenot deter the Griffins Troy from continuing their pares for this season LeBoeuf success. of Griffin football. ASCENSION “We lost a large “I was very excited SPORTS senior class; this about last year and year’s senior group is right before our jamsmaller. The sophoboree, I break my hand. That kept me out until more and junior classes will midseason. My main goal is be important to our success to be healthy this season and as well. Having a senior contribute to the team any class with leaders like Zach way the coaching staff needs Dotter will help along with me,” said Dotter. our players that understand Dutchtown, under Guy the Dutchtown way,” said Mistretta, won a share of the Mistretta. district title last year. ä See LEBOEUF, page 3G Mistretta enters his ninth
aldsonville High School. More than 400 students would soon begin taking courses ranging from the essentials to specialized offerings, including a welding class created in conjunction with River Parishes Community College. One class in the Ascension
Gemstone show sparkles in Ascension BY WENDY LOUP Contributing writer
Gemstones and minerals of all sizes, shapes and colors dazzled attendees of the annual Baton Rouge Gem and Mineral Society’s Show at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. Rocks, minerals, jewelry and fossils were on display at 18 vendor booths from Louisiana and Texas. The popular event, which has PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP been around for 40 years, averages about 1,700 visitors over two Keith Harmon, of Stone Crystals, works to days, according to show chairperbreak open a geode Saturday during the son Wanda Gawarecki. Baton Rouge Gem & Mineral Society’s Show “There are people that attend at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. the show to add to their collection
for their beauty,” Gawarecki said. “The natural forms and colors attract many people. “This will be our 10th year in Ascension at Lamar Dixon. People come from all around Louisiana for the show. Everyone is always nice and has fun.” The event included silent auctions, raffles and a children’s section with educational activities. The Baton Rouge Gem & Mineral Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting interest for rocks, minerals, and Earth sciences. The club, which has existed for 61 years, began with members
ä See GEMSTONES, page 4G