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, J a n u a ry 21, 2026
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Darlene Denstorff AROUND ASCENSION
Celebrate while sober
The Grove Recovery Center will host Sober Gras at 202 N. Burnside Ave., Gonzales, during the Krewe of Ascension Mambo parade. Attendees are asked to bring chairs and their family. The center will provide jambalaya.
Rodeo coming soon The Southeast Louisiana Junior and High School Rodeo will be Feb. 2-March 17 at the Lamar Dixon Center in Gonzales. Action starts at 7 p.m. Feb. 27, 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Feb. 28, and 9 a.m. March 1. Rodeo athletes in fifth through 12th grades from all of Louisiana will compete. Admission is $10. A weekend pass is $15. Kids 5 and under are free.
Home show this weekend The Home and Remodeling Show with Ralph’s Market Food Fest is Friday and Saturday at Lama Dixon, Gonzales. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit www. gonzaleshomeshow.com for information.
Jambalaya Festival is in May The 2026 Jambalaya Festival is set for May 21-24.
Egg a home for Easter Cara’s House Animal Shelter is “egging” houses in the Ascension area. Prices range from $20 to $85 for 25 to 150 eggs. Stuffed eggs will be delivered to the requested yard after 9 p.m. April 4 for Easter morning. If weather is bad, eggs will be left in a bucket. Orders must be submitted by March 27. The 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 carashouse.com.
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
Moxie Mae Boggan rides out of the chute during the 8-11 Buckin’ Bull competition at the Ascension Parish 4-H’s 80th annual Livestock Show at Lamar Dixon on Friday in Gonzales.
Honoring a family tradition
Rescue Alliance seeks down payment help As the need continues to grow for animals in need, so does Rescue Alliance’s commitment to answer those calls. The organization is asking the community to help raise $35,000 for a down payment to purchase a new Rescue & Community Resource Center that will more than double its capacity. The new Rescue Center would provide additional housing, quarantine and medical recovery areas for vulnerable animals, while the Community Resource Center would serve families, volunteers, and partners through adoption events, training, and educational programs.
ä See AROUND, page 2G
at Ascension Parish 4-H livestock show BY WENDY LOUP Contributing writer
Farm animals raised by 4-H students were showcased in the Lamar Dixon Expo Center’s arena on Saturday during the 80th annual Ascension Parish Livestock Show. More than 70 Ascension Parish 4-H Club members from schools, as well as homeschoolers, participated in showmanship contests featuring cattle, sheep, swine, rabbits and poultry. The weekend kicked off Friday night with the 15th annual stick horse rodeo. The event held contests such as bucking horse and barrel racing. On Saturday, Ascension Parish 4-H students featured their farm animals, both large and small, in hopes of winning ribbons while also learning lifelong skills. “4-H is an amazing organization that allows youth to experience real world experiences and become natural leaders while still creating a fun and enjoyable experience,” said Cheyenne Moran, LSU AgCenter and Ascension 4-H assistant extension agent. “The club is not like other youth organizations that only offer programming or competition in a specialized area. We have opportunities for just about every kid’s interest, including cooking and sewing to competitive target shooting and livestock exhibition with everything in between.” Hudson Clements, 15, and his sister, Rogue, 14, both of St. Amant, displayed their jersey cattle for judges. The Clements come from a long line of 4-H Club family members. “Our family has always loved it,”
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
Prairieville Primary student Kenzlee Henderson, 11, prepares her dairy goat for the judges during Saturday’s Ascension Parish Livestock Show. Henderson and her family brought 13 baby goats to compete for ribbons and other awards. said Michelle Ayo, Hudson and Rogue’s grandmother. “The children have all looked up to the older family members who grew up in 4-H. The younger ones know they can play with the cows.” Raising farm animals gives students the chance to learn about responsibility, while also being introduced to agricultural careers. “For livestock specifically, it’s so im-
Councilman sued for allegedly defaming husband of parish government employee BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
An Ascension Parish Council member is being sued on allegations of defamation after he posted claims online about the husband of a top parish government official. District 2 Council member Joel Robert is accused of making “scandalous and false accusations” about Gerald Phillips Jr., the husband of Ascension Parish Interim Infrastructure Division Director Ruth Phillips, according to the lawsuit filed last week. Robert posted on Facebook on Jan. 4, al-
leging that when he last visited the Phillips’ home, Phillips dropped his pants and asked him to find cocaine. Phillips denied all the allegations in the lawsuit, which said they were “false, scandalous, and defamatory.” “These allegations have damaged Plaintiff’s reputation in the community as they have been seen … by over 30,000 people on social media to date,” the lawsuit stated. Phillip’s attorney, Joseph Long, said the lawsuit spoke for itself and added that “there were four people at the house, and
ä See COUNCILMAN, page 2G
portant to have youth involved in animal care because so many kids are completely removed from agriculture,” Moran said. “Today, only about 10% of the population is working in agriculture, which includes sectors beyond food production, while our population continues to rise. “Our 4-H members who participate
ä See LIVESTOCK, page 7G
Gonzales selects clerk BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
The Gonzales City Council kicked off the new year by appointing a city clerk, ending a nine-month period during which, without someone in the role, there were multiple clashes over meeting minutes. The council unanimously approved the appointment of Anthony Keller, the city’s central services director, at its meeting Monday. Keller, who has worked for the city for more than 20 years, was nominated by mayor Tim Riley following the departure of former City Clerk Brandon Boylan
in April 2025. Speaking to the council before the vote, Keller thanked Riley and Wade Petite for their trust. “I’ll do the best I can to ensure the accuracy of the city’s records, and I definitely would like to move forward to do a little auditing on our Municode ordinances, making sure they’re up-to-date online,” he said. “… Other than that, I’m just asking for your support. I’ll do the best I can, and I just want to thank Brandon (Boylan) for what he’s done in the interim.”
ä See GONZALES, page 2G