Ascension Advocate 03-04-2026

Development records public, judge rules

Darlene Denstorff AROUND ASCENSION

Spring Merry Market coming March 7-8

More than 300 booths will be lined up inside and outdoors

starting at 7 a.m. March 7 at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center Shop for everything from clothing, home decor, jewelry, food, toys, decorations and other items.

Admission is $10, which goes to The Sparrow Foundation.

Swamp Pop at the Post

Listen to the music of Tet Dur from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. March 8 at VFW Post Hall 3693, 42430 Church Point Road, Gonzales.

Admission is $10.

East Ascension High plans

mattress fundraiser

Head over to the East Ascension High gym for its 13th annual mattress fundraiser on March 22.

East Ascension High School’s one-day event is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For one day only, East Ascension High School will be transformed into a full mattress showroom. Shoppers will find 27 different mattress styles to try, available in all sizes and price ranges. The sale will also feature adjustable bases luxury pillows, premium sheets and mattress protectors.

All products come with full factory warranties, are made to order and will arrive within two to three weeks. Delivery is available. Every purchase benefits East Ascension High School. For more information, visit bit. ly/beds4eahs26 To watch a video that explains how the Mattress Fundraiser works, visit vimeo. com/637591323

Contact cfslouisiana1@cfsbeds.com or call (337) 991-5033 for more information.

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.

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

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

BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer

A judge ruled the Ascension Economic Development Corporation is required to turn over public records related to economic development projects in the RiverPlex MegaPark.

Brought by the Donaldsonvillebased Rural Roots Louisiana and New Orleans-based Louisiana Bucket Brigade advocacy groups, the case concerned whether cer-

tain AEDC records are subject to public records requests.

Although Judge Steven Tureau of the 23rd Judicial District Court partially granted the groups’ writ of mandamus following a hearing in Gonzales on Feb. 23, further litigation is likely to emerge from the decision.

Center for Constitutional Rights Attorney Pam Spees, who represents the two plaintiff organizations, called the ruling “really important” because it determined the

Ascension Economic Development Corporation is subject to public records law

“It’s an important day because we got clarity We got a ruling that says they are subject to it,” she said. “What that means in terms of the records they have to produce is going to be something that we have to determine down the road.”

Attorney Kayla Jacob, who represents AEDC and its President and CEO Kate MacArthur, said during the hearing that there were

TRADE, SELL, BUY

BY WENDY LOUP

Contributing writer

Pokémon enthusiasts gath-

ered Sunday at the Price LeBlanc PACE Center ready to hunt down elusive, valuable and colorful trading cards during the PokéBash Card Show The family-friendly event, hosted by Bayou Boys Card Shows, attracted both serious and casual collectors.

“We have 118 tables with vendors buying, selling and trading cards,” said Matt Carawan, co-owner of Bayou Boys Card Shows. “This is our fourth show, and each one gets bigger with attendance.” The PokéBash featured

Pokémon trading cards, collectibles and accessories.

Carawan, along with Clint Hoffman, started Bayou Boys Card Shows to bring trading card events to Ascension Parish and surrounding areas. “Pokémon is popular with children because of the cartoons and the characters on the cards are fun,” Carawan said. “There’s been a big boom recently in Pokémon cards because of the Logan Paul card.”

In February, Logan Paul, social media personality and professional wrestler sold a rare Pikachu Pokémon illustrator card for $16.4 million. Paul reportedly made an $8 million profit because he

originally purchased the card

five years ago for $5.2 million. Pokémon is the world’s highest-grossing media franchise, according to CNN. Card values have skyrocketed since December, when Paul announced he would auction off the card.

The PokéBash in Gonzales featured trading cards from the popular Pokémon television series, as well as the Pokémon Trading Card Game, also known as “TCG.”

While most vendors focused on trading cards, others, such as Wyverns Mystery sold Pokémon buttons and other trinkets.

Rodeo kids learn responsibility, competition, camaraderie

BY WENDY LOUP Contributing writer

Hundreds of middle and high school rodeo athletes from across the area competed in this weekend’s Southeast Louisiana Junior and High School Rodeo in Gonzales.

Barrel racing, roping and goat tying were among the contests held Feb. 27 to March 1 inside the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center’s rodeo arena.

The annual event attracted fifth through 12th grade students throughout the state.

The Southeast Louisiana Junior and High School Rodeo Association has existed for more than 25 years, according to President Misty Fairchild.

This weekend’s rodeo was a steppingstone for rodeo athletes to advance to state finals, which will be in May in Lake Charles.

While the rodeo has been a popular tradition over the years, Fairchild said the competition is becoming tougher and the horses are faster than ever before. The club emphasizes the rodeo is

about more than the competitions. Learning responsibility and discipline in caring for the animals, particularly horses, is a benefit for participants.

“We think rodeo kids just mature quicker,” Fairchild said. “Taking responsibility for another life at a young age teaches so much. They build strong bonds with the animals that depend on them for love and care.

“Children without animals do not understand the responsibility that livestock requires. We think rodeo kids are a different breed.”

Rodeo participant Addy Faulkner a 16-year-old student at St. Amant High School, found her love for horses as a toddler

“Horse was her first word,” Faulkner’s mother, Adriane, said laughing. “Being around horses and the rodeo runs in our family with me, her dad, grandparents and cousins.

“Participating in this is also about the friendships we all make with other families, parents and grandparents. They’ve made

no responsive documents to the request. She reiterated this after the decision, when Tureau asked if the records request needed a timeframe attached.

“A timeline would not be an issue for us because there are no documents responsive to this request,” Jacob said.

She declined to comment after the hearing, citing the request of her client.

Prairieville Hurricanes girls basketball top 28 bound

The Prairieville Hurricanes are heading to Hammond after a 65-54 quarterfinal win over Salmen High.

The Hurricanes (26-4) are the No. 3 seed and will play at 8 p.m. Thursday at Southeastern against the No. 2 seed, the Slidell Tigers. The Hurricanes are only in their second season of varsity and pushed right into district play and playoffs at the 5A level.

Coach Chase Delrie talked about his team’s resilience and play in their quarterfinal win.

“Composure and resilience were the biggest factors for us,” Delrie said. “Salmen played a great first half, we had to make some defensive adjustments as a team. Breanna Sanders led the defensive effort on their point guard; her play changed the momentum of the game. We settled in offensively and executed.”

“Rhian Comery led us with 25 points and 15 rebounds. Aubrielle Theriot had 19 points and made some crucial free throws down the stretch. Kailey Miles added a doubledouble with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The home crowd was a factor, especially our student section, total team effort to move on and get to Hammond,” Delrie said.

Prairieville’s semi-final opponent has one loss this season, and Delrie and his team have respect for Slidell.

“They are extremely talented and athletic; they have been near the top of the rankings all season. They won a lot of basketball games and have valuable playoff experience,” the coach said. “They are well coached and we expect a hard-fought game. We will have to bring our best effort to compete at the level required.”

The other two teams are Zachary and Neville, the No. 1 and 4 seed respectively Delrie sees the final four and understands

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

St. Amant pitcher Braylee Decoteau

10 area softball pitchers to watch this season

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

The high school softball season is just getting started in the Baton Rouge area. The area offers plenty of players who left their mark last year and several are back this season to continue building on their elite high school careers. The Baton Rouge area features many top pitchers, and listed below are 10 area pitchers to watch this season.

Malloy Miles, French Settlement, Jr. The Ole Miss commit will look to use her junior year to build on her sophomore season that culminated in a selection to the LSWA Class 2A All-State team. She totaled a 12-8 record and a dominant 1.95 ERA in 2025. She has not allowed a single hit or run and struck out 36 batters across 14 innings in her first three games to start 2026.

Blair Clement, Lutcher, Jr

The junior righty had a massive breakout season last year, finishing with a 14-5 record and a 2.16 ERA She racked up 137 strikeouts across 116 innings. Clement began the 2026 season with an impressive 12 strikeouts to lead her side to a win.

Braylee Decoteau, St.Amant, Sr. The Co-Lin Community College commit looks to build on a strong junior campaign in which she posted a 13-3 record and a 3.00 ERA Her performance in the 2025 season earned her a spot on The Advocate’s AllMetro team.

Ava Kate Phillips, Live Oak, Sr. The Eagles senior played a key role in Live Oak’s success last season. She compiled an 18-8 record with a 3.60 ERA. Phillips was another member of the AllMetro team and was integral in Live Oak’s run to the Division I nonselect quarterfinals as the No. 8 seed.

Abigail Heidbrink, Brusly, So. The right-hander put together an impressive freshman campaign and looks

to continue building on her promising high school career She recorded a 19-3 record with a 1.87 ERA a year ago. She also totaled 109 strikeouts. Heidbrink will be a name to watch after earning All-Metro and district MVP honors in her first year of high school play Brooke Clement, Prairieville So. Clement flashed potential in limited action last year She had a 2.25 ERA in 91/3 innings pitched. The sophomore has followed that up with a 3.03 ERA and a 2-1 record in 30 innings this season. She has also struck out 25.

Jalayah Slaughter, Parkview Baptist, Fr. Slaughter broke through onto the Eagles varsity squad as an eighth grader She made the most of the opportunity with a 12-8 record and a 2.24 ERA. She also tallied 172 strikeouts. Slaughter earned LFCA AllState honors for her play last season. In her latest outing against Chapelle this season, she struck out 13 and allowed just one earned run.

McKenzie Creel, East Ascension, Sr The Coastal Alabama CC signee enters her final season for the Spartans Last year, she pitched 115 innings and went 12-5. She also tossed a no-hitter Creel also was named to the All-Metro team and was an LSWA Class 5A All-State honorable mention.

Kaylee Dieck,Walker, Sr. The right-hander fueled a Walker playoff run that made it all the way to the Division I nonselect semifinals last year Dieck has signed with Southeast Arkansas College.

Payten DeVeer Prairieville So Through five appearances this year, DeVeer has already nearly matched the number of innings she pitched last year. The sophomore has a 2.10 ERA and a 2-0 record through 20 innings pitched in five games. She has also racked up 26 strikeouts.

LSU-Nicholls softball game features Ascension Parish

a senior from Prairieville, chats with Nicholls State teammates.

In Friday night’s LSU softball game, Ascension Parish was represented.

Brynne Songy, a senior from Prairieville, played catcher for Nicholls State.

Alix Franklin, a sophomore from St. Amant, played infield. LSU defeated Nicholls 3-1 in Tiger Park.

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

The Baton Rouge area is filled with promising talent for the 2026 high school softball season From seniors to underclassmen, there is no shortage of impressive position players who return to the diamond after being named to allstate and All-Metro teams. Listed below are 10 area position players to watch this season.

Cayden Tullier East Ascension (Sr.)

The Southeastern signee wreaked havoc on opposing teams last year The infielder batted .500 with a .695

on Jan. 7

LEBOEUF

Continued from page 1G

how talented these teams are.

“Zachary’s pedigree speaks for itself; they are the defending champs. They are loaded with talent well-coached and have several players that can impact the game. Neville has had an outstanding season. They have been consistently a top-ranked team that has toughness and talent They are well coached, and their players play hard. Both programs represent the level of competition you would expect at this stage,” Delrie said.

With a few days to scout and prepare, Delrie knows his team will be ready and they cannot wait to tip it off.

“The top four seeds are here; this speaks to the quality and consistency of these teams all season. At this point, it comes down to the preparation, execution and which team can play its best basketball at the right time. We are excited about this opportunity to compete and play for a state championship,” Delrie said.

Starters for Prairieville: Guard, Marly Gatlin, senior 12 ppg, 5 assists 5 rebounds Guard, Aubrielle Theriot, freshmen, 19 ppg, 4

rebounds Forward, Breanna Sanders, sophomore, 4 ppg, 4 rebounds Forward, Kailey Miles, freshmen 11 ppg 8, rebounds Forward, Rhian Comery, senior, 23 ppg, 14 rebounds Boys basketball playoff results, pairings

Division I nonselect: Sixth seed, St. Amant 65-62 over 25th-ranked Hahnville, next host No. 9 Northshore on at 7 p.m March 3. 14th, East Ascension 49-36 over 19th HL Bourgeois, next will travel to No. 3 Natchitoches Central at 6:30 p.m. March 3. Division III nonselect: Third-ranked, Donaldsonville will host No. 14 Rayville at 6:30 p.m on March 3.

Division IV select: 11th-ranked, Ascension Christian 52-36 over 22nd Vermillion Catholic, will travel to No. 6 Southern Lab at 6:30 p.m. March 3. 19th, Ascension Catholic 59-45 over 14th JS Clark, will travel to No. 3 St. Frederick at 6:30 p.m. on March 3

Troy LeBoeuf covers sports for the Ascension Advocate. He can be reached at troyleboeuf@ hotmail.com or ascension@theadvocate. com or on Twitter @ Troyleboeuf.

Photo of student with autism in a cabinet rocks Gonzales Middle

BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

Late on a Friday afternoon in early February, Sydney Alexander posted on social media a picture she had just received of her 12-year-old son Jaelon. The picture showed the boy in a school uniform with his head hidden inside a cabinet.

“A teacher named Coach Patrick put my child in this cabinet,” the mother asserted.

Three days later, the following Monday, the teacher, Patrick Mahoney Jr., and the school’s principal, Lori Charlet, were gone.

The news shocked Ascension Parish.

Charlet, in particular, is well known and well loved. A native of Donaldsonville, Charlet spent 25 years as principal at Gonzales Middle School. Just two days before, she rode as a lieutenant in the Krewe of Ascension Mambo parade as it rolled through Gonzales.

The Advocate was unsuccessful in reaching either Charlet or Mahoney Jr for comment.

Mahoney is known too, mainly through his family. His father, Patrick Mahoney Sr is a longtime wrestling coach at East Ascension High School. Mahoney Jr., until recently, served as assistant coach to his dad at the high school.

The father is a longtime P.E. teacher at the middle school

The son spent almost two years as a paraprofessional at East Ascension High before moving in August to Gonzales Middle to work as a special education teacher. In January, Mahoney Jr was honored by the parish school board as one of 22 “rising educators” who’ve transitioned from support roles to teaching.

District spokeswoman Jackie Tisdell said Mahoney

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

SUBMISSIONS

Send your news photos or letters by 4 p.m Friday

EMAIL: ascension@theadvocate.com

MAIL: use address above

BUY A SUBSCRIPTION

CALL: (225) 388-0200

M–F, 6 A.M.–5 P.M SAT, 7 A.M.–10:30 A.M

SUN, 7 A.M.–11 A.M. HOLIDAYS, 6 A.M.–10 A.M.

ONLINE: theadvocate.com/subscriptions

QUESTIONS ABOUT DELIVERY?

CALL: (225)388-0200

EMAIL: subscriberservices@theadvocate.com

ADVERTISING MARY DICHARRY CELL: (225) 937-8717 mdicharry@theadvocate.com.

DEADLINE: 5 p.m Friday prior to publication.

DEATH NOTICES

CALL: (225) 388-0289

EMAIL: obits@theadvocate.com

WEDDINGS & ENGAGEMENTS

CALL: (225) 388-0738

EMAIL: nuptials@theadvocate.com

CLASSIFIEDS CALL: (225) 383-0111

EMAIL: classifieds@theadvocate.com

LEGAL ADVERTISING

CALL: (225) 388-0128

EMAIL: weeklylegals@theadvocate.com

Jr has been enrolled this school year in an alternative certification program focused on special education.

Another educator involved in this matter, Adrina Million, a 28-year veteran of the district, is likewise no longer working as the director of special education. Her last day was Jan. 31, ending a 15-month tenure in that job.

Tisdell said Million’s departure “had nothing to do with Gonzales Middle School.”

Ascension recently hired Jennifer Vicknair to replace Million as director of special education and Dineska McZeal to become the new principal at Gonzales Middle.

Jaelon no longer attends Gonzales Middle. Alexander removed both of her children from school for several days — Jaelon has a twin brother who is similarly autistic and nonverbal until the Ascension Parish school district agreed to move them to another school.

‘He hates small spaces’

How Jaelon ended up in that cabinet remains uncertain.

Citing personnel and student privacy laws, Ascension Parish school officials have offered few details of what happened. Jaelon, having autism and being nonverbal, is unable to communicate clearly what he experienced.

“I know for a fact that my child would NEVER go into a confined space on his own free will,” said Alexander, according to a statement provided by her attorney “He hates small spaces and situations where his movement is restricted.

“My home has plenty of cabinets; my son has never put himself in one,” she continued.

Alexander said she’s since heard from another parent whose child says the teacher put Jaelon in the cabinet.

Alexander said she and Ma-

honey Jr already had a testy relationship. She said Jaelon’s behavior “changed drastically” since he became her son’s teacher She recalled Mahoney Jr calling her frequently mid-day to come pick Jaelon up at school, but would give her “little to no explanation of what happened in his class.”

She said she only learned about the cabinet incident in early February when a paraprofessional at the middle school shared the picture with her, saying the teacher had taken it in November and later shared it with other adults at the school, but not with Alexander

“It is not a popularity contest. The principal and the teacher resigned on their own,” Alexander said. “It is a matter of right and wrong, and exposing the truth for my son and other parents like me.”

Tisdell with Ascension schools would not say whether the principal or the teacher resigned, retired or were terminated. Charlet was eligible for retirement as was Million. Mahoney Jr., however, was not, having worked for Ascension only since October 2023.

Another person no longer working for Ascension Parish schools is the paraprofessional who sent Alexander the photo.

Added sentence to grafAlexander’s attorney Jamar Lanier Ennis, is also representing the paraprofessional; he would not identify her, make her available for an interview, or comment on her employment. He said she was fired almost immediately after sharing the photo with Alexander

“She is a witness, not a wrongdoer,” Ennis said. “But for her courage in coming forward, this family would never have known what happened to their child

‘Defeated by a policy’ Louisiana law calls for an independent set of eyes, namely a camera, to witness what occurs in self-contained special education classrooms that educate children like Jaelon. The special education camera law approved in 2021, has limitations. It requires that “recordings be retained for at least one month from the recording date.” After a month, though, Ascension Parish policy calls for deleting recordings “unless there is an outstanding request for viewing of the recording.” Alexander learned of the photo too late; the video was already gone.

“We believe that (the video) was accessed and reviewed but it was never intended for it to see the light of day,” Ennis said Ennis argues that district policy as it stands “voids the transparency that parents like Ms. Alexander deserve.” In November, she requested access to video of Jaelon’s classroom. In a Dec. 3 letter, Million, the district’s then director of special education, rejected Alexander’s request: Alexander’s request did not specify an “incident” such as “abuse, neglect or sexual misconduct” that would justify allowing her to view it. Million, however, assured her that district staff would view the video and alert her if they detected any “verbal abuse” that would prompt further steps.

Ennis, who until recently was executive director of the Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs, said Alexander’s case shows how the 2021 state law, which was tightened in 2025, still has loopholes that can be exploited and consequently needs revising again.

“A parent doing everything right was defeated by a policy that protects the district, not the child,” Ennis said.

TRADE

Continued from page 1G

“Pokémon is kid-friendly,” Lindsay Ramirez, of Wyverns Mystery, said.

“The games give kids and parents a chance to spend time together I’ve grown up with Pokémon and for (1990s) kids, Pokémon cards and buttons are nostalgic.”

PokéBash consisted of local vendors, as well as those from around the state.

Vi Dang, of PokeFiendz, traveled from New Orleans to sell trading cards and other accessories

“This is a chance for us to interact with people who love Pokémon,” Dang said.

“We’ve been on both sides with trading and selling as vendors and collectors. The camaraderie and back-and-forth between those trading and selling cards is fun.”

Some attended PokéBash to hunt down elusive and valuable trading cards.

Megan Huff, of Denham Springs, searched for the Snorlax character card. A vendor at PokéBash had one priced at $650

“No, I’m not going to buy it,” Huff laughed. “The cards have gotten really valuable over the years, and they are becoming even more popular I just collect and keep them.

“The thrill of it all is opening packs like a mystery pack and not knowing what you will get.”

Seven-year-old Harrison Simpson and his father, Trent, of Port Allen, attend the PokeBash at the Price LeBlanc PACE Center in Gonzales. The Simpson family celebrated Harrison

Continued from page 1G

friends from all over Louisiana.”

Addy brought four horses to the rodeo to compete in barrel racing, pole bending and team roping contests.

While she enjoys caring for the horses, she understands illness or injury is a difficult part of the rodeo life.

“I’ve had several horses die,” Addy said. “They get sick or hurt. But our family has great veterinarians. It’s a waiting game for the horses to be able to come back to competing, and it’s hard. But we only want them to compete if they are healthy and are at their best.”

Friendship and bonding over their love of animals, particularly horses, is another positive aspect of the rodeo.

Amelia Landry, a sophomore at Ascension Catholic, participated in the barrel racing and pole bending.

Amelia is new to the rodeo and brought her 11-year-old horse, Jolene.

“This has given me experience and responsibility,” Amelia said. “It’s taught me that it’s fun, but the horses need to be cared for.”

Addy and her cousins helped convince Amelia to join the rodeo club.

“I’ve always wanted a

Southeast Louisiana High School Rodeo Club member

Kasen Watts on Saturday holds the T-shirt he received for winning the performance round in chute dogging at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center

horse and could see myself doing this,” Amelia said.

Students are also learning how to compete yet still root for fellow competitors.

“The rodeo teaches discipline and it’s not easy,”

Addy’s grandfather Barry Bergeron said. “But the kids also pull for each other and support each other.”

Bergeron, of Belle Rose, grew up around cousins who had horses and cattle. He

started competing in rodeos in his mid-30s.

“There are those out here to win, but they all pull for each other,” Bergeron said.

“It is the thrill of the competition. They are competing in pressure situations and that teaches them and prepares them for the future.” For information about the youth rodeo organization, visit the group’s Facebook page.

Families who attended Sunday’s PokéBash were interested in finding cards to add to collection binders while passing on their love of Pokémon to their children.

RECORDS

Continued from page 1G

Seven-year-old Harrison Simpson, of Port Allen, proudly showed off his Zamazenta Pokémon card, given to him by his father, Trent, who has been collecting cards since he was a child.

Records related to RiverPlex MegaPark

Founded in 2005, Ascension Economic Development Corporation was created by the parish, the Ascension Chamber of Commerce and city of Gonzales The organization works to attract investment to the region, and the Ascension Parish Council allocated more than $1.2 million to the organization between 2022 and the end of 2025

The use of those taxpayer funds underlies the lawsuit.

State law requires that all economic development corporations receiving more than $10,000 in public funds must maintain books and records related to the receipt and use of such funds and make those available as public documents

In a Nov 19 records request to AEDC, the two organizations asked for documents concerning the development of the RiverPlex MegaPark. This included cooperative endeavor agreements and all communications with agents or employees of Hyundai Steel, CF Industries, Ascension Clean Energy, Louisiana Economic Development and any government officials.

The RiverPlex MegaPark is a rural section on the parish’s west bank that officials have earmarked as a future industrial area larger than Manhattan. The companies mentioned in the records request plan to construct large facilities in the area, although many residents who live there are opposed to it. Reception is more positive in Donaldsonville, where leaders and residents hope it will bring much-needed jobs.

Court documents show MacArthur rejected the request, stating that the AEDC was not subject to public records law. The organizations disputed her opinion, citing a Louisiana Supreme Court decision that said the Public Records Act applied to private agencies fulfilling public functions. Attorney Richard Passler, representing AEDC, argued in a Jan. 22 opposition to the writ that the state law only requires the production of records involving public funds, but that those were not the records requested by the groups “AEDC has not allocated or expended any public funds towards the RiverPlex MegaPark project” in relation to the companies

Harrison Simpson, along with his family, spent part of his birthday weekend exploring booths at PokeBash.

Simpson said his favorite part of collecting cards is unboxing the cards to see what he received. The next PokeBash is scheduled for May 23 at the PACE Center

and groups named in the request, Passler wrote.

Organizations wanted to question AEDC President under oath

The organizations disputed that claim in court on Monday Spees said she intended to call MacArthur to the stand to ask what proportion of the funds from the parish were used in AEDC’s work with the RiverPlex MegaPark.

By doing so, she argued it would allow the court to determine what records were applicable under the state law

“We’re very curious to hear on the record how it is that somehow… nothing they’ve done in the RiverPlex MegaPark relates to that funding,” she said, referencing the more than $1.2 million allocated to the AEDC.

Jacob called the testimony sought from MacArthur “irrelevant” and argued the groups didn’t request financial records, which she said were the types of records covered by the law

“What plaintiffs are trying to do is take a two-part analysis… and they’re trying to combine it into one,” she said.

MacArthur was never called to the stand, and Tureau appeared skeptical of Spees’ argument. Twice, he questioned whether Rural Roots Louisiana and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade were subject to similar public records requests because they are nonprofits.

Spees said they could be subject to such requirements if they received public funds through government agreements while acting as “an instrumentality” of the government, referencing the Louisiana Supreme Court Case. She argued that AEDC fulfilled such a role, citing its creation by government bodies.

After the hearing, Louisiana Bucket Brigade Director Anne Rolfes questioned where the parish funds were being spent by the AEDC.

“The RiverPlex MegaPark is the major industrial project in the parish, and AEDC is the body that handles industrial expansion in the parish. What AEDC would have us believe today in court is that they are not spending any of the public money on the RiverPlex MegaPark,” she said. “I will say that is a bit hard to believe that out of their entire budget, they’re not spending any of their budget, not any of it, on the RiverPlex MegaPark.”

Ourpractice offers IVSedation Dentistry

safe and e

patients whofeel overwhelmed by dental visits

Formanypeople, thethoughtof sitting in adentalchairbrings fear,panic, or memories of past bad experiences.

Imagine being “out” foryour dentalvisit -NoFear,NoPain.

If thethoughtofsitting in a dentist’s chairmakes younervous, you’re notalone.Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, abad gag reflex, orjustneed extensive dental work,wecan help!