Category Archives: Ascension

GONZALES A Galvez man who wants to give Ascension Parish residents a say on whether indicted Parish President Kenny Matassa remains in office filed a petition for a recall election Wednesday with the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office.

The filing, confirmed by the state agency, comes on the eve of a still-planned vote on whether the Parish Council should declare it has no confidence in Matassas ability to do his job and to ask him to resign immediately in light of his indictment Friday over attempted bribery allegations.

Brennan Howell, 24, of Galvez, said he was concerned about the attempted bribery allegation since recordings of Matassa purportedly making the attempted bribe came to light Aug. 1, as well as other actions by Matassa since he took office.

"I want to give them a voice, the people, said Howell, who is chairman of the recall.

Howells effort faces a significant logistical hurdle. Under state law, the recall effort will need to get one-third of the registered voters in Ascension Parish, or about 25,175, to sign the petition. The recall drive has 180 days, roughly six months, to gather signatures, and then they will have to be verified by the parish Registrar of Voters Office before a recall election could be set.

After months of a slow-moving investigation into the bribery allegations, the new recall petition means there are dueling efforts to have the public and parish leaders weigh in on the embattled parish president, though only a successful recall election could force Matassa from office.

Matassas defense attorney, Lewis Unglesby, of Baton Rouge, asked the Parish Council on Tuesday afternoon to delay consideration of the nonbinding resolution because of scheduling conflicts for Unglesby and questions he had about the procedure. The councils discussion is set to be held behind closed doors, but the council vote must be done in public under state law.

Parish Council Chairman Bill Dawson said Wednesday he does not plan to remove the item from the councils Thursday agenda. Dawson, who said he spoke with District Attorney Ricky Babin about Unglesbys request, said it will be up to the full council to decide whether to delay the vote.

Howell said he filed the petition for a recall election on Wednesdaybecause of the recent indictment and news reports this week that the parish president gave his brother David Matassa, director of the parish mosquito control program, a significant raise.

I wouldnt want my parish president to be making these types of choices, putting more money in his familys pocket, while he is fighting to do his job as parish president and fighting this indictment. It doesnt make sense to me. It does make sense to be part of a good-old-boy system, and thats why Im doing (the recall), Howell said.

Parish officials dispute the pay increase claim, however.

Relying on rosters of parish employees with their titles and salaries, the Pelican Post, an online news website, reported this week that David Matassa received an apparent 20.6 percent salary increase some time between July 8 and March 7, while Kenny Matassa was parish president.

The Advocate filed a public records request this week and obtained the same employee lists for February and July 2016 and March 2017. Those lists do show David Matassas annual salary rose from $72,883 on July 8 to $87,921 on March 7, as the Post had reported.

But in a statement Wednesday, Martin McConnell, parish government spokesman, said that despite what the lists say, the parish Human Resources Department actually underreported David Matassas salary as $72,883 on employee rosters for Feb. 10 and July 8.

During 2016, David Matassas salary was actually much higher than the employee lists show, McConnell said, and the bulk of David Matassas prior salary raise came under the previous administration in late 2015.

McConnell said David Matassa actually received a $10,005 pay increase Dec. 7, 2015, while outgoing Parish President Tommy Martinez was still in office. The increase raised David Matassas pay from $72,883 to $82,888. At that time, Kenny Matassa, then a top parish health administrator, was parish president-elect, having narrowly won a November runoff election.

McConnell said subsequent cost-of-living adjustments under Kenny Matassas administration of 4 percent in 2016 and 2 percent in 2017 brought David Matassas salary up to the $87,921 figure that appears in a March 7 roster of parish employees.

David Matassa, through a relative, referred all questions Wednesday to parish government.

Meanwhile, Dawson, council chairman, said he would have no problem with Kenny Matassa bringing witnesses to the planned council discussion on Thursday night, but Unglesbys questions about subpoenaing witnesses and standards of evidence were not things the chairman said he planned to consider.

Dawson said the council is a legislative body that is scheduled to consider a resolution Thursday. While the talks with Matassa are set to be in closed session, Dawson said, public comment will be allowed on the resolution before the council votes.

Howell, who works in a chemical lab, said he has some volunteers who are willing to help with the recall drive but hopes to garner more support and signatures Thursday night at the council meeting. Colin Nicol, of Gonzales, is listed as the recall vice chairman.

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With petition filed, here's how attempt to recall Ascension President ... - The Advocate

Greg Fischer

The Capital Region Planning Commission (CRPC), on March 9, made a strong effort to gather information from the Ascension community to address traffic and safety issues.

The initiative by the CRPC, which serves as the particular Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Ascension Parish and the Greater Baton Rouge Area, is known as Move 2042. "Move 42" is what the 25-year Metropolitan Transportation Plan is being called.

"Move 42" kicked-off in June 2016, but Thursday served as the first round of the public outreach process. While the issue of safety is top on the agenda, issues of peak-hour traffic congestion, railroads and bike and pedestrian lanes are all being addressed, over the next five months for the five-parish region.

"The purpose of this informational meeting is to solicit input from the citizens on what their issues are," CRPC Executive Director James C. "Jamie" Setze said. "So that as we report this back and start building a 25-year plan it reflects the needs and the wants of the community."

It is important for the public to participate. The CRPC needs public input to figure out how best to spend federally allocated dollars. Of course, there are the obvious congestion spots. Like intersections that get backed up regularly near more heavily populated and industrialized zones.

"We not only want to get input, but we want to show the public that there is a concerted effort to alleviate traffic problems and safety issues," Setze said.

But it is also largely a guessing game. According to Setze, Ascension Parish is projected to grow from a population of roughly 110,000 people to 185,000 people over the next 25 years. How does the CRPC plan for such a boom?

One of the ways to make an educated guess is by plotting different growth scenarios, based on commercial, rural, suburban and industrial projections, according to Sr. Transportation Planner Pong Wu.

"In order to do our long-range plan, the first thing we need to know is about population," Wu said. "Where is the population?"

Setze and the CRPC reportedly have done a much better job this year for public outreach. Many were in attendance, including media and public officials. There was a computerized survey for those in attendance and a "drawing board," where people could draw along a map where problem areas are located.

"This time I asked the DOTD to greatly expand the amount of money for public outreach," Setze said.

The next step comes in August after these open houses are completed in the five-parish region once money is in the picture. A general plan will be made. At that time discussions will be had about specifics on how and when these plans will go into action. It all remains open to the public.

Follow Greg on Twitter @AscensionEditor

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CRPC visits Ascension for Move 42 open house - Post South

PRAIRIEVILLE Students of Galvez Middle School will return to their home campus Monday, where temporary classroom buildings, a dining hall, library and band tent have been set up until the flood-damaged school can be repaired, the Ascension Parish school district announced Friday.

Galvez Middle is the last of five flood-damaged Ascension Parish public schools that have had their student bodies reunited in recent weeks, after more than six months spent at sites off campus.

Temporary buildings are in use at the middle school, as well as at St. Amant High, Galvez Primary and Lake Elementary.

Students at St. Amant Primary, are back together at the former location of the River Parishes Community College on La. 22 in Sorrento.

Galvez Middle teachers will move classroom materials from host site Central Middle School over the weekend.

Parents will be getting information from Galvez Middle School Principal Michelle Bourque on schedules, classroom locations and drop-off and pick-up locations for students, the school district said.

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Last of the flood-damaged Ascension Parish Schools to get students back Monday - The Advocate

Greg Fischer

After months of uncertainty and a continued push from some Ascension residents Parish President Kenny Matassa was indicted by a grand jury on Friday, March 10, 2017.

Gonzales businessman Olin Berthelot was indicted separately. Both men are officially charged with offering a bribe to former candidate for Gonzales City Council, Wayne Lawson. This was said to be done in order to get Lawson to drop out of the council race, last Summer.

"Those indictments were based on a bribery scheme perfected by Mr. Matassa and Mr. Berthelot wherein they attempted to induce a candidate for a city council election to withdraw in exchange for cash and political favors," Brandon J. Fremin, Director of the Criminal Division with the Attorney General said.

Their bonds have been set at $5,000 each. The men now have warrants out for their arrest but will most likely be given a chance to turn themselves in, according to Assistant Attorney General Jeff Traylor, who will also serve as lead prosecutor. They will likely post bond.

The jury began their proceedings at 10:30 a.m., and finished near 3 p.m.

"Attorney General Jeff Landry has on many occasions said that public officials have to be held accountable for their actions," Fremin said. "They must hold themselves to a higher standard. They must be fair, honest and ethical, and that they must follow the law. If that does not happen it undermines the public trust in our system of government, and that is absolutely unacceptable."

Berthelot's lawyer Steven Moore maintains that his client is not guilty. He said particularly that he would like the case to play out in the courtroom.

"I think I should let it play out in the courtrooms," Moore said. "And not in the media, and not in blogs that people have, and just kind of let that ridiculousness go away."

Moore is most likely referring to a July 31 blog posted in the Pelican Post, owned by Wade Petit, who posted a video of the bribe almost as it occurred. And which can still be viewed as of today.

However, both sides maintain that this is just the beginning.

"At the outset, we started this investigation at the request of the locals here," Fremin said. "Following the recusal of attorney Ricky Babin, our attorneys took the lead in the case, brought the case to the grand jury, which culminated in the events for which we're here right now."

The charge carries 0-2 years imprisonment with or without hard labor, or a maximum $2,000 fine, according to Fremin.

Follow Greg on Twitter @AscensionEditor

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Ascension Parish President Matassa indicted - Weekly Citizen

ASCENSION A nine-month investigation led to the arrest of a man in possession of an estimated $20,000 worth of marijuana in Ascension Parish.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office arrested 47-year-old Ron McZeal on Mar. 9 following the investigation into drugs being shipped to his home.

Detectives began a joint investigation with the Baton Rouge Police Department and saw McZeal get a package from his home and then leave the area.

Detectives initiated a traffic stop of his vehicle and McZeal agreed for detectives to conduct a search of his vehicle. Detectives found a package with five pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $20,000. A digital scale and $1,500 in cash was also seized from the vehicle.

McZeal was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute schedule I drugs, drug paraphernalia and no use of turn signals. He was booked on the above charges into the Ascension Parish Jail.

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Man arrested, $20,000 worth of marijuana seized in Ascension - WBRZ

PRAIRIEVILLE The skeletal remains found in a wooded area of Prairieville in January have been identified as those of William Winters, 55, Ascension Sheriff's Chief Deputy Bobby Webre said.

Foul play is not suspected in his death, Webre said.

On Jan. 30, deputies responded to a call to a wooded area off Germany Road after a family's dog found a human skull in a wooded area.

The LSU FACES lab assisted in the identification of the remains.

Webre said that investigators had suspected that Winters might be the person whose remains were found, but that two sets of indentification were found at the site, one belonging to Winters and one to a relative of Winters.

A DNA match was made with Winters' son, who is currently an inmate at the Ascension Parish jail, Webre said.

William Winters had been living with others in a trailer park in an area behind where the remains were found.

"The people he was staying with were evicted. I think he was staying in the woods there. He had no place to go," Webre said.

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Skeletal remains found January in Ascension Parish identified ... - The Advocate

ASCENSION Ascension Parish officials will begin using tracking devices on all parish-owned vehicles to track their resources, however some are confused about its true intentions.

Some council members say the GPS policy is not fully ironed out. The vehicles were installed with the GPS's, but some have not been used.

"I think some of them were turned off or not installed at all, under the previous administration," Martin McConnell, of the Ascension Parish government, said.

However the rules are now changing. Ascension Parish officials say that whether it's a tractor or vehicle, they want to keep tract of their equipment.

"You know GPS tells us things like number of hours that equipment has been in operation," McConnell said.

For example, if a tractor or vehicle is not being used enough at one site, it can be transferred to another.

"Because if it's sitting parked we don't need it right?" McConnell said.

Parish officials say the GPS's are about staying organized and ensuring that parish equipment is being used efficiently. However, some council members say there is more to the issue.

"Every single person that works in the parish that has a vehicle has to be subject to the same rules," Aaron Lawler, Ascension Parish council member, said.

Lawler said that he supports the use of GPS devices, but says the policy is missing key information.

"Right now there's no policy whatsoever, so if somebody is caught speeding they can fire that person," Lawler said.

Others argue that the devices are not in place to get workers in trouble.

"The primary reason is to know that parish-owned vehicles are being used in an efficient manner to their best and highest use," McConnell said.

A total of 180 GPS systems are installed in parish vehicles and equipment.

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Ascension to begin using GPS devices on parish equipment - WBRZ

Delkeskamp made senior pastor

ANSWERING THE CALLThe Rev. Timothy Delkeskamp will be installed as senior pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church on March 19. He served as associate pastor of the church for 13 years. The Rev. Timothy Delkeskamp has been called to become the new senior pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church, School and Foundation in Thousand Oaks.

This call to service comes after an 18-month process during which multiple candidates from across the country were interviewed by a call committee and following a congregation-wide vote that took place Feb. 26.

Delkeskamp will be installed during a ceremony at the church Sun., March 19, with reception to follow.

For the past 13 years, he has served as an associate pastor at Ascension. His duties have included serving as liaison pastor for the school, as well as outreach, worship and adult education.

He is also on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County.

Delkeskamp was born in Brea, Calif., and raised in Orange County.

He graduated from Cal Lutheran University and has a doctorate from Luther Seminary in Minnesota.

After serving at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Mission Viejo, Calif., for five years, he accepted the call to come to Ascension in 2003.

His wife, Chamie, a United Methodist pastor, is Ascension Lutheran Schools religion teacher and coordinator of chapel.

The Delkeskamps have three children.

Ascensions former senior pastor, the Rev. Larry Wagner, retired in 2015 after 38 years at the church. The Rev. Paul Gravrock has served as interim senior pastor since then.

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Familiar face picked to lead Ascension - Simi Valley Acorn

BATON ROUGE, La (LOCAL 33) - Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop A began investigating a two vehicle fatality crash that occurred on LA 940 west of LA 44 in Ascension Parishshortly before 11:00 am on March 8, 2017 that tookthe life of 18-year-old Aiden Womack of Gonzales, LA.

The initial investigation by State Police revealed that the crash occurred as Womack was operating his 2005 Kawasaki motorcycle eastbound on LA 940. At the same time, 72 year old Hazel Miles of Gonzales, LA was traveling westbound on LA 940 in a 2002 Ford F-150. For unknown reasons, Miles failed to yield and began to make a left turn into the path of Womacks motorcycle. Womack was unable to avoid Miles vehicle and struck the passengers side

Womack suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash and was transported to University Medical Center where he was later pronounced deceased. Miles was properly restrained and sustained minor injuries in the crash. Impairment is not suspected to be a factor in this crash but a toxicology sample was taken from both drivers for analysis. This crash remains under investigation and charges are pending.

Louisiana State Troopers would like to remind motorist to Watch for Motorcycles. As the spring and summer months approach, more and more motorcyclists will be traveling on Louisiana highways. We ask that motorist take an extra second to look for motorcycles before pulling out, turning, or changing lanes.

Troopers also encourage all riders to take an approved motorcycle safety course. These courses teach safe riding practices and help you apply safe riding strategies that can help reduce your chance of injury should a crash occur. Making good choices while riding a motorcycle, such as never driving while impaired and obeying all traffic laws, can often mean the difference between life and death.

For more information on the Louisiana Motorcycle Safety, Awareness, and Operator Training Program, visit http://www.lsp.org/motorcycle.html

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Motorcyclist dies after being struck by vehicle in Ascension - BRProud - http://www.brproud.com

Greg Fischer

A 2017 Leadership Ascension team has decided to provide the Council On Aging (COA) facility on Irma Boulevard an outdoor area to enjoy at the Gonzales location.

This location was deemed to lack an outdoor space for individuals to gather in a centralized area that is safe from traffic and weather conditions.

A groundbreaking ceremony has grown as of March 9, according to team member Josh Ory. Representatives from both Ascension Parish, as well as the City of Gonzales will attend to support the project and participate in the ceremony. This will take place today at 4:30 p.m.

"We named our team 'Rockin' Through the Ages,'" Ory said. "We are accepting donations."

The 2017 Leadership Ascension class has been broken up into four teams to find ways to improve the community. The Ascension Parish Chamber of Commerce began its Leadership Ascension program in 1995 to educate and prepare future leaders within Ascension Parish.

For more information, contact Traci Furlow by email at traci.furlow1969@gmail.com, or by phone at 225-614-5565.

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Leadership Ascension breaks ground today - News - Donaldsonville ... - Donaldsonville Chief