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 u n e 11, 2025
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Donaldsonville gets grant for road work
Federal funding would improve street safety, infrastructure
BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
In the next few years, Donaldsonville residents might see improved street safety and infrastructure — including bike lanes, more sidewalks and better signage — as contractors work to create a report on the city’s existing infrastructure. The project has been more than a year in the making. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK city $260,000 in 2023 through its Safe Streets and Roads for All grant proTommy Kocke, left, and Mimi Kocke look over renderings gram to create the transportation acduring a Town Hall meeting May 28 at the Lemann Memorial tion plan. McKim & Creed Project Manager Center in Donaldsonville.
Dustin Mayard said residents can now provide input on the plan until June 15 through the city’s website. “The public can go in and give their input on where they suggest certain safety improvements be made or where they see certain issues arising,” he said.
… stop signs,” he said about the grant. “You name it, we want to make sure that we cover everything and make sure that our plan is good when we send it in.” The grant comes from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which allocated $5 billion in funds nationwide for the program between Town Hall meeting 2022 and 2026. Mayard said the city Donaldsonville Mayor Leroy Sulli- also had to dedicate some money to van briefly discussed the project at Le- the program. During the town hall, he stood by mann Memorial Center during a recent city town hall, which was attended by several maps placed on the edge of the the city council, government officials room that covered potential changes and areas of focus. Attendees were and several dozen people. “That deals with bike paths, walkä See GRANT, page 4G ing paths along the streets of the city
Wings take flight BY WENDY LOUP Contributing writer
Fried, barbecue and “too hot to handle” wings sizzled Saturday, June 7, at Donaldsonville’s Crescent Park during the 2025 Wing Fest and Live at Crescent summer music series. The events were sponsored by the Donaldsonville Downtown Development District and the city of Donaldsonville. The afternoon kicked off with the wing cooking competition and concluded that evening with live music featuring R&B musician Justin Garner. Garner, a singer originally from Plaquemine, recently performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. A half-dozen wing enthusiasts competed for cash prizes. D&D Catering won first place with Sunshine Catering coming in second place. Local food and craft vendors were on hand throughout the day. Jenay Davis, owner of Delicious Delights, won fourth place in the wing competition. “The key to a good batch of wings is they need to be ‘seasoned to perfection,’ ” Davis said. “We are here to support the city, and it’s a good family fun day. We need events like this to bring out families and children and they can see there are things to do in Donaldsonville.” Goodies 2 Geaux owner Bonnie Landry, of St. Amant, offered baked goods including Oreo cake, peach cobbler, as well as jewelry and other accessories. Landry and her mother, Virgie Dugas,
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
Jenay Davis, owner of Delicious Delights, stirs her wing sauce during Saturday’s 2025 Wing Fest in Donaldsonville’s Crescent ä See WINGS, page 4G Park. Davis won fourth place in the competition.
Darlene Denstorff AROUND ASCENSION
Juneteenth weekend offers varied activities St. Amant baseball tabs Caleb Ricca as new leader Donaldsonville’s 30th Juneteenth celebration starts at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 12, with an author talk at the Study Commons at the WAG Center, 1221 Maginnis St., Donaldsonville. The talk will be by Daniel Brook, author of “The Accident of Color, a Story of Race.” The book looks at 19th-century New Orleans and the cosmopolitan residents who elude the racial categories the rest of America takes for granted.
Before the Civil War, these free, openly mixed-race urbanites enjoyed some rights of citizenship and the privileges of wealth and social status. After emancipation, as former slaves move to assert their rights, the Black-White binary that rules the rest of the nation begins to intrude. Southern University Law Center will offer 1 free continuing legal education credit at the author talk. For information and
to register visit Eventbrite.com. On Friday, June 13, the Juneteenth Committee, BASF, and the Greater Baton Rouge Area Food Bank will host a food distribution for the residents of Donaldsonville. It will be held at 10 a.m. at the Lemann Memorial Center in Donaldsonville. For information, email juneteenthdonaldsonville@gmail.com or visit @
ä See AROUND, page 4G
Troy LeBoeuf
ASCENSION SPORTS
St. Amant baseball has a strong tradition of winning: five state championships with the last title coming in 2004. The Gators are looking to Caleb Ricca for No. 6. Ricca takes over for Brandon Bravata, who had a record of 143-60 at St. Amant, including a runner-up finish in 2022. Ricca said he knew this was an opportunity
ä See LEBOEUF, page 4G