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
Lunchbox Comedy show set June 20 A Lunchbox Comedy Live show with Brett Jeffries is planned for 8:30 p.m. June 20 at Frozen Assets Daiquiris, 828 N. Airline Highway, in Gonzales. For tickets, visit tinyurl. com/5yb9bdcd.
Car Show in Gonzales The Jambalaya Festival Car Show starts with registration at 8 am. June 20 at 222 S. Francois St. in Gonzales. Awards will be presented at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $30; call Rodney Savoy at (225) 715-5207 for information.
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W e d n e s d ay, J u n e 17, 2026
Industrial park moves forward
business expansion Infrastructure complete, ready for tenants, developer says investment, and future job growth,” Thomp-
BY ANNAKATE FREELAND
and local private equity firm JRE Staff writer Capital, has 14 shovel-ready sites intended for industrial tenants Magnolia Ridge Logistics Park like bulk distribution companies, light manufacturers and is moving into its next plant services businesses. phase following the completion of infrastructure Geismar The lots range from 2 to 16 acres. construction and final plat Ratcliff Development Presiapprovals. The 186-acre industrial park in dent Gregg Thompson said Geismar, developed by Alexan- Thursday there has been “tredria-based Ratcliff Development mendous interest” in the devel-
opment, and the firms are in the process of selling and negotiating multiple deals. He said they closed the first sale two weeks ago. Evan Scroggs of Lee & Associates is the listing broker for the development. “As demand for industrial development continues across the Capital Region, Magnolia Ridge is well-positioned to support new
Freedom rings
Mahjong Social at Houmas Dine at the Dixie Cafe at Houmas House and play Mahjong starting at 1:20 p.m. June 22. Bring your Mahjong mats and tiles to play with others during the Mahjong Social. Tickets are $30 at houmashouse. com/upcoming-events.
ä See AROUND, page 2G
Ascension Pride set for Saturday at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center Community news report Ascension Pride returns June 20 for Ascension Pride 2026: The Rainbow Carnival at the LamarDixon Expo Center in Gonzales. This year’s expanded celebration focuses on community, inclusion, entertainment and family-friendly fun, organizers said in a news release. The event, the second pride festival in Ascension Parish, will begin with dedicated sensory time from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., “providing a
ä See PRIDE, page 2G
Two new eateries to open downtown Staff writer
Auditions at Red Magnolia
Volunteer Ascension’s School
ä See PARK, page 2G
BY ANNAKATE FREELAND
The Highway 621 Outdoor Market, 39275 La. 621, in Gonzales opens at 8 a.m. every Saturday through July with diverse booths and locally grown produce.
Touch-a-Truck benefit
son said in a news release. The first phase of construction began a year ago. Developers have said the park, located at Industriplex Avenue and La. 30, could eventually include 2 million square feet of mixed-use industrial spaces. “This corridor continues to see significant industrial activity and long-term economic growth,”
Sites located near Hyundal steel plant
Highway 621 Outdoor Market
Red Magnolia Theatre in Pririeville is holding auditions June 20 for its production of “Men on Boats.” Playwright Jaclyn Backhaus turns history on its ear in this exhilarating, heart-warming and funny exploration into an unknown world of safety and adventure, gender and narrative. Roles include diverse women and gender-expansive actors age 16 and up. The show is Aug. 21-23 and 28-30 at 38138 Monticello Drive.
1GN
PHOTOS BY WENDY LOUP
Mary Rhodes, owner of Blessed Beyond Measure, was one of the vendors for Saturday’s Juneteenth Music Festival in Donaldsonville.
Donaldsonville’s Juneteenth celebrates with family, food, music BY WENDY LOUP
Contributing writer
Donaldsonville’s long-standing and popular Juneteenth Music Festival on Saturday marked the national holiday with musical entertainment, food, dancing and family fun. Wanda August, known as the ‘Angel of Faith,’ The annual event, organized for 31 years sings Saturday during Donaldsonville’s by the city, business and government sponJuneteenth Music Festival. August works sors in recognition of the emancipation of slaves in the United States under the terms for the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office’s of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation, community outreach programs. provides the community with a day of festivities in Louisiana Square. has continued the tradition along with her The celebration was first organized in family and city and parish government. 1995 by then-Donaldsonville Mayor BerGarrison, the 1st District justice of the nard Francis Sr. and his wife, Janet. ä See JUNETEENTH, page 2G Their daughter Tamiko Francis Garrison
Two downtown Donaldsonville buildings will soon house a coffee and ramen bar and a Korean barbecue restaurant, as a Korean investor is placing bets on the city’s growth. Lindsey Lee purchased two neighboring buildings at 807 Railroad Ave. in October with the help of Elifin Realty. According to property records, Lee purchased one for $365,000 and the other for $680,000. Lee will open Gangnam Korean BBQ in the former Save-A-Lot Meat Market, and Lemon Tree Coffee and Ramen Bar in the former Gros Building. Her goal is to bring Korean cuisine to downtown Donaldsonville as the city positions itself for growth tied to nearby industrial development, specifically the $5.8 billion Hyundai-POSCO steel plant. “The infrastructure expansion driven by large-scale industrial projects, including the Hyundai plant, was a major motivation,” Lee said. “With a massive influx of workforce, we anticipated a strong demand for large-
ä See EATERIES, page 2G
PROVIDED RENDERING
The Krewe of Shaka, a Thibodaux-based Mardi Gras krewe, attends the music festival.
Owner Lindsey Lee says Lemon Tree Coffee and Ramen Bar, in the former Gros Building in downtown Donaldsonville, will open in July.
Ascension-based American Legion team ready for strong summer American Legion baseball in Ascension Parish has always been strong, dating back to winning world series titles as All Star Ford in the late 1980s and throughout the ’90s. Fast forward to 2026, the local ASCENSION SPORTS Ascension Parish-based team is looking to bring that rich history back with a talented squad and an Gauthier Amedee Personal Injury outstanding coaching staff. Law, the team will be led by head Playing under the sponsorship of coach Alex Gremillion, of East
Troy LeBoeuf
Ascension. Gremillion has very familiar with Legion been coach at EA for the ball and how important and past two seasons after servincredible it can be for the kids and the community. ing as the pitching coach This area has always been for 10 seasons. rich in talent in baseball He will be joined by fortalent. I am excited for our mer Ascension Parish baseorganization to return to ball stars Cole Poirrier and Gremillion Legion play and show how Lucas LeBlanc. “I am a graduate of East Ascen- much talent there is in Ascension sion and played for G&A after my Parish.” The squad will be made up of a senior year,” Gremillion said. “I am
mixture of players from Ascension Parish including several from the D1 nonselect state runner-up, Dutchtown High. “Having several players from the Dutchtown team is a plus, guys like Cade Delaune, Dawson LeBlanc, Coby Mitchell, Cooper Pickett, Owen Cavalier, Seth Davis, Taylor Tunnard and Tucker Suire
ä See LEGION, page 3G