The residential structure at 710 S Pleasant Ave had become a real nuisance in the middle of Gonzales nearly a decade ago. The subject of lengthy litigation, the city would eventually settle a claim with the former homeowners a few years back, paying $374,000 for damage sustained because of a failing drainage servitude. The district […]
“Senior staff member” accused of possible malfeasance by Councilwoman Lambert
03/10/2026 by
Whether or not it is a newly formalized alliance remains to be seen, but two first term Gonzales City Councilwomen found themselves on the wrong side of multiple votes Monday night. Cynthia Gray James seems to have cast her lot with the most vocal critic of Mayor Tim Riley’s administration, Terri Lambert who cited “a […]
ARBC announces major flood projects
02/13/2026 by
At its monthly meeting yesterday, the Amite River Basin Commission (ARBC) reported progress on major flood risk reduction efforts and announced new steps to strengthen preparedness across the Amite River Basin. The Commission highlighted updates on the Bayou Manchac and Ward Creek Realignment Project and the Upper Amite River Restoration Project, proclaimed March 2026 as “Flood Awareness Month,” and previewed additional actions it expects […]
Mayor requests AG’s Opinion to resolve issue over his Chief of Staff
04/07/2025 by
The City of Gonzales has a new mayor, only the third elected since 1984. The five-member city council, another body not known for its turnover, includes three new members. A certain amount of turmoil was probably unavoidable, especially considering Tim Riley emerged from a four-candidate field in which every old-time political hack lined up against […]
Ricky Compton appointed Ascension’s Infrastructure Division Director
11/03/2023 by
Announced yesterday, Parish President Clint Cointment has promoted Ricky Compton to Infrastructure Division Director effective November 6, 2023. The position, created in October of 2017 and immediately filled by the former parish president’s hiring of William Daniel, has been vacant since the end of 2019 when he was not retained by the incoming Cointment administration. […]
Cointment wins reelection with largest vote share of any Parish President
10/15/2023 by
To borrow a descriptive from the second place finisher in Saturday’s election for Ascension Parish President, the Cointment Juggernaut Political Machine rolled on. Like the only other parish-wide election on the ballot, Parish President Clint Cointment won a second term with the largest vote share of any candidate in Ascension’s history of Home Rule. His opponent […]
All you ever wanted to know about Louisiana elections…and more from Ascension’s Registrar
10/13/2023 by
Registrar of Voters Shanie Bourg has taken the time to answer every question she has been asked during the current election cycle. In fact, Bourg has anticipated questions which voters may harbor about the process in an information packed piece, sort of a technical manual on how Louisiana elections are conducted. If any remain, she […]
Varnado out to slaughter the oldest hog at Ascension’s trough
10/06/2023 by
No Ascension Council candidate has more skin in the game than Todd Varnado, as he attempts to slay the dragon (or the oldest council hog at the trough) in a largely self-funded campaign to oust five-term incumbent, Dempsey Lambert. An old dog incapable of changing his spots (to mix a metaphor), putting this mutt down is […]
Even Kenny Matassa has turned on Murphy Painter
08/25/2023 by
EDITOR’s WARNING: While what follows is probably a complete waste of my (and certainly your) time, it is one of the guilty pleasures we cannot resist. Deflating the festering pustule disfiguring Ascension’s body politic, i.e. exposing Murphy Painter for the sniveling, whining, whimpering grievance machine that he is, it’s one of our things. His continued […]
23 years later, the Vessel family remembers those cherished loved ones lost
03/11/2022 by
23 years ago this week tragedy visited a family in the City of Gonzales, and every one of its citizens when Shon Miller, Sr. murdered four people at a local church. As dark a day as any in local history, the victims were Miller’s wife and 2-year old son, and his mother-in-law. Senseless horror which […]
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