DONALDSONVILLE’S ASHLEY BARBIER CROWNED MISS LSU USA ä Page 5G
THE ASCENSION
ADVOCATE
1G
DONALDSONVILLE • DUTCHTOWN • GEISMAR • GONZALES • PRAIRIEVILLE • ST. AMANT • SORRENTO
THURSDAY APRIL 2, 2015 H
THEADVOCATE.COM
Ascension court finances improving
Darlene Denstorff
BY DAVID J. MITCHELL
AROUND ASCENSION
working well. Ascension Parish Judge Marilyn Lambert said her court’s fiGONZALES — Nearly two years nances “are in good shape.� Her court in Gonzales ended since a $1.17 million accounting error was found that had fiscal 2013-14 with a $1.42 milbeen unintentionally depriving lion surplus, having added funds from Ascension Parish’s $41,568 to the bottom line in the misdemeanor and small claims financial year ended June 30, a court, the parish court’s judge new annual audit shows. About $1.3 million of the sursays a long-term payback plan with parish government is plus was not restricted in use, dmitchell@theadvocate.com
DDENSTORFF@ THEADVOCATE.COM
Group hosts radio newswoman Robyn Walensky, author and senior anchor and director of editorial news coverage at The Blaze Radio Network, will take questions on current events and politics at a Baton Rouge Walensky area Republican Women event April 13 hosted by Ascension Republican Women. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Clarion Inn, 1500 W. La. 30, Gonzales. Cost for the meal is $25. A book signing will follow the presentation. The event is open to the public and guests are welcome. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling (225) 644-5728 or by emailing ARWrUS@aol.com.
Pageants seeking entries
Registration is underway for the River Region Royalty V and the Heart Project IV beauty pageant scheduled for April 18 at the Grande Pavilion in Gonzales. All contestants in the River Region Royalty pageant receive a crown as a keepsake, organizers said. The pageant features nine age divisions ranging from infants to 19. Proceeds from the Heart Project IV pageant will be donated to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital. The entry fee is $65. For information or an entry form, text Pam Hughes at (225) 603-3378. Forms are also available at Debbie’s Bridal in Gonzales.
Good Friday holiday
Ascension Parish government offices will be closed Friday in observance of Good Friday, Parish President Tommy Martinez said. All offices will resume normal business hours on Monday.
Friendship House art camp
As part of its ongoing mission to provide educational opportunities for students, members of the River Region Art Association are offering art enrichment sessions at Friendship House, a parent-organized nonprofit operating in Ascension. äSee AROUND, page 5G
but much of it was not cash but money owed to the court for the years of misplaced fines. For seven years, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office had mistakenly put the court’s share of bench warrant fines — $60 each — into a similarly named fund for the 23rd Judicial District in Ascension. That state district court, which has different judges, handles felony cas-
DROP in the basket
es, some misdemeanors, larger civil claims and other matters. Lambert said the mistake was found in the summer of 2013 after her staff started looking into why her fund seemed to be short of money. Once the error, which dated back to 2006, was discovered, the parish, district judges and Lambert agreed that she would stop making $7,500 monthly
payments to the 23rd Judicial District fund for some of her receptionists’ salary and benefits and phone bills until the fines were repaid. “We worked out this deal. It’s kind of a painless way to pay it back where they’re not having come up with a huge lump sum,â€? Lambert said. äSee FINANCES, page 5G
Ellie King, 3, left, and her twin sister Maddi King, right, get situated on the lap of the Easter Bunny (Angela Dossett) while their mom prepares to take a photo, at the community Easter Egg Drop. Church member Tonya McDade, helping at the Bunny tent, is at right.
Advocate staff report
More than 10,000 colorful, plastic eggs dropped from a helicopter, 2,500 or so at a time, Saturday at Household of Faith Church’s Community Egg Drop. The event featured inflatable slides, food, the Easter Bunny and other fun. Kids could exchange their basket of plastic eggs later for candy gift bags. Easter services at the church, at 10469 Airline Highway, are at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Advocate staff photos by TRAVIS SPRADLING
Baton Rouge’s Justin Scott, 8, left, and Gonzales’ Dylan August, 8, compare their haul as they collect eggs at the community Easter Egg Drop at Household of Faith Church on Saturday in Gonzales. ä More pictures, page 4G and www.theadvocate.com.
Ascension names newest Idol-Voice BY KATE STEVENS
cee Matt Pryor, of Ringwald. “She just has a tremendous stage presence.â€? The Ascension Idol-Voice GONZALES — The 2015 Ascension Idol-Voice talent competi- competition showcases local tion crowned a new champion talent but also raises awareness Friday as Dutchtown High for The Ascension Fund, a nonSchool student Madeline Ring- profit organization providing wald took home first place with Ascension Parish public schools two powerful, professional per- and teachers grants representing $1.3 million in awards since formances. “You think you’re watch- 1992. Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND Ascension Fund President ing someone who is an accomplished star when she’s up there Donald Songy said the grant Madeline Ringwald, from Dutchtown High School, performs ‘Change’ in the Ascension Idol-Voice competition on Friday. because she just takes over,â€? said Ascension Idol-Voice emäSee IDOL-VOICE, page 3G Ringwald took first place in the competition.
Special to The Advocate
!XzP !eLC`œ 2Wem !eLC`ÂœĂ‹ =eup $PXVWKepWeeN 2umPpbCp_Ptœ = tœœ
Artistic discoveries on display in Dutchtown BY DARLENE DENSTORFF
ddenstorff@theadvocate.com GEISMAR — Dutchtown Middle School art teacher Charles Guillory sets out every day to teach his sixth-, seventh- and eightgraders how to not only draw, paint and sculpt, but to think, as well. Guillory, in his first year as an äSee ARTISTIC, page 6G