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, S e p t e m b e r 3, 2025
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Darlene Denstorff AROUND ASCENSION
Donaldsonville farmers market opens Check out the vendors from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.. Saturday at the Donaldsonville’s Farmers Market in Louisiana Square, 300 Block of Railroad Avenue. For information, call (225) 717-0031 or (225) 473-4814.
‘Steel Magnolias’ hits the stage Ascension Community Theatre is staging “Steel Magnolias” on Sept. 4-7 and Sept. 11-14 at its Felicity Avenue theater in Gonzales. The play centers around a group of women who frequent a beauty salon in the fictional Louisiana city of Chinquapin. For tickets, visit https:// ci.ovationtix.com/35620/production/1212134.
Ducks Unlimited banquet set The East Ascension Chapter of Ducks Unlimited annual banquet is set to start at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Price LeBlanc PACE Center in Gonzales. For tickets, visit https:// tinyurl.com/5n8bxjna or call (225) 235-1062 or (225) 5730898.
STAFF PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
The dance floor at the Lamar-Dixon Ascension Gym is crowded with couples Friday in Gonzales.
TEAM SPIRIT
ä See AROUND, page 2G
Gail and Blue Forsythe, donning LSU colors, dance at the sports-themed Senior Sock Hop.
Troy LeBoeuf ASCENSION SPORTS
ä More photos. PAGE 4G
East Ascension’s Jason Blackburn ready to go for it The mentality of a football player is to go for it on fourth down. That mentality rings true with East Ascension senior Jason Blackburn. Blackburn returns as a main offensive threat for coach Brock Matherne, and he knows “J-roc” will answer the call. “J-roc, as we call him, is very mature and committed to being one of the best at his position,” Matherne said. “He prepares like a 30-year-old, always full speed, maximum effort always and a selfless player in our program.” The Spartans host Brother Martin on Friday — a difficult opponent to open the season, but Blackburn and his teammates are hungry. “Brother Martin is a great program; they will give us
ä See LEBOEUF, page 2G
Gonzales passes $22M budget after months of dispute BY HALEY MILLER and CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writers
At a charged city council meeting Aug. 25, the city of Gonzales approved Mayor Tim Riley’s $22 million general fund budget following months of deadlock. The budget passed 4-1 after an
amendment from council member Kirk Boudreaux to exclude the salaries of four new roles and two existing positions that were part of the mayor’s proposal — positions that several council members said Riley never had the authority to create. “If the administration deems that these positions are important
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and needed, come back and ask for them,” council member Terri Lambert said. “It’s just that simple.” The city had been operating with a roughly $11 million general fund for more than 100 days, as state law requires municipalities to use half the previous year’s budget if a new one is not ratified. Riley said he would have to start making cuts
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ä See BUDGET, page 2G
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