Tagged News

• Former Ascension Parish President, Kenny Matassa, received massive payday before leaving office

  February 4, 2020 11:08 AM

  GONZALES - Former Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa reportedly took home more than $190,230 in gross salary during his last year in office and now, some are questioning the legitimacy of the former politician's massive payday. The Advocate reports that Matassa received a large onetime check for back pay... more »

• Ascension Parish Council agrees to pay outgoing parish president's legal fees

  December 6, 2019 8:49 AM

  ASCENSION PARISH - The outgoing Ascension Parish Council has agreed that as one of its last acts, it will cover the costs of Parish President Kenny Matassa's legal defense fees. The Advocate reports that his fees amount to a total of $231,839. These fees were acquired during a... more »

• Two parish presidents were at Vegas conference as hurricane took aim, WBRZ learns Play Video

  July 18, 2019 6:43 PM

  GONZALES - The Ascension and West Baton Rouge Parish presidents are under fire for abandoning their communities during Hurricane Barry last week. Both parishes were under a state of emergency when the leaders there decided to leave for Las Vegas to attend a conference. Kenny Matassa told WBRZ he was... more »

• Kenny Matassa wants indictment thrown out, trial date set Play Video

  February 27, 2018 5:30 PM

  GONZALES - A trial date for embattled Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa will be held in July if the situation is not rectified sooner. In court today, we learned Matassa's lawyer filed a motion to quash, which essentially would toss out the indictment if it is granted. Lewis Unglesby believes... more »

• March trial set for bribery charges against Kenny Matassa

  October 18, 2017 11:39 AM

  GONZALES – Embattled Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa will face bribery allegations at a March trial. The March 13 th date was set at a hearing Wednesday. Matassa was indicted on charges earlier this year. He is accused of offering a bribe to get a man running for... more »

• Attorney: Case against Matassa should be tossed due to 'candidacy law' Play Video

  September 21, 2017 12:06 PM

  GONZALES – The attorney for embattled Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa argues in newly-filed court documents, the bribery case against Matassa is unwarranted because the man he is accused of bribing not to run for office was not a real “candidate” under state law. Matassa was indicted on charges... more »

• Kenny Matassa pleads not guilty to bribery charges Play Video

  May 8, 2017 10:23 AM

  GONZALES - Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa pleaded not guilty to charges that he offered a bribe to get a man running for office in Gonzales to drop out of the race. Audio recordings released last year by the Pelican Post Newspaper appeared to show Matassa and another businessman... more »

• Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa indicted on bribery charges Play Video

  March 10, 2017 11:25 AM

  GONZALES – Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa has been indicted by a grand jury on public bribery charges. Matassa is accused of offering a bribe to get a man running for office in Gonzales to drop out of the race. Last year, a team of investigators met with District... more »

• Grand jury hears case against Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa

  February 13, 2017 5:22 PM

  GONZALES- A grand jury convened today to hear bribery allegations against Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa. Matassa is accused of offering a bribe to get a man running for office in Gonzales to drop out of the race. Last year, a team of investigators met with District Attorney Ricky... more »

• Grand jury to hear evidence in Kenny Matassa bribery case

  February 13, 2017 1:23 PM

  GONZALES – A grand jury is hearing testimony Monday about the bribery case against Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa. Matassa is accused of offering a bribe to a man running for Gonzales City Council to drop out of the race. District Attorney Ricky Babin scheduled a grand jury... more »

• Ascension Parish council waives reconstruction permit fees Play Video

  November 17, 2016 5:15 PM

  GONZALES – The Ascension Parish Council will consider waiving all permit fees for repairs and reconstruction of flood affected homes, President Kenny Matassa said Thursday. Matassa’s office said the passage of the resolution would extend the permit fee waiver issued by executive order after August’s historic flooding for another... more »

• Grand jury hearing involving Ascension president postponed until Friday

  November 14, 2016 4:56 PM

  GONZALES - The Louisiana Attorney General's Office will take over a bribery investigation involving Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa. Ascension Parish District Attorney Ricky Babin told Chris Nakamoto , the chief investigator of WBRZ's Investigative Unit , the A.G. will handle the case going forward because Babin's office has... more »

• Grand jury to hear case against Ascension Parish president in November Play Video

  October 21, 2016 11:07 AM

  GONZALES - A grand jury will hear a case involving allegations that Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa bribed a man to not run for a seat on the Gonzales City Council. The grand jury will meet on November 15th, sources told WBRZ News 2 Friday. In September, the district... more »

• Bribe investigation into Kenny Matassa moves ahead Play Video

  September 22, 2016 5:32 PM

  GONZALES- The epic flooding in our area caused an investigation into an alleged bribe by Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa to be put on hold. Tonight, that investigation is full steam ahead, according to Ascension Parish District Attorney Ricky Babin. "We had our three lead investigators in the case suffered... more »

• Second councilman calls on Ascension Pres. Matassa to resign

  August 7, 2016 10:16 PM

  GONZALES - A second Ascension Parish council member is calling for Parish President Kenny Matassa to step down after allegations of bribery surfaced last week. District 4 Council member Daniel "Doc" Satterlee released a statement Sunday afternoon saying that the people of Ascension Parish deserve better than to have... more »

• Kenny Matassa addresses bribery allegations at council meeting Play Video

  August 4, 2016 11:34 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Ascension Parish Presidnet Kenny Matassa addressed the media for the first time since bribery allegations surfaced. "I've got nothing to say," Matassa told people at a council meeting Thursday. "I'm doing my job and I'm going to continue doing my job." At the meeting, Matassa began answering... more »

• Residents in Ascension Parish upset over Parish President's alleged actions Play Video

  August 4, 2016 5:31 PM

  GONZALES- Residents in Ascension Parish are reacting to allegations their Parish President offered a bribe to a man who was running for Gonzales City Council. Samuel Juneau owns the Sorrento Carwash. It's a business off the main drag, a stones throw from Airline Highway. His phone has been ringing off... more »

• Two councilmen question Matassa's political future

  August 4, 2016 11:08 AM

  GONZALES - There is dissension on the Ascension Parish Council amid allegations the parish president was involved in a bribe. This week, the WBRZ Investigative Unit reported audio recordings purportedly captured Parish President Kenny Matassa paying Wayne Lawson not to run for a seat on the Gonzales City Council.... more »

• Kenny Matassa releases statement; attorney says alleged bribe was really a loan Play Video

  August 3, 2016 1:04 PM

  GONZALES - An attorney for Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa said his client will not resign. Matassa retained Lance Unglesby Tuesday following reports about allegations Matassa bribed someone to not run in a Gonzales City Council election. Monday, WBRZ.com was first to report the Ascension Parish District Attorney... more »

• Man who recorded Kenny Matassa offering bribe lifts his silence Play Video

  August 2, 2016 4:58 PM

  GONZALES- Tonight, the man who claims he received $1,200 and the promise of a parish job from Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa and Businessman Olin Berthelot is lifting his silence. Wayne Lawson said he was wearing a recording device the entire time and quickly gave the money back. "It was... more »

• DA calls for probe of alleged bribe by Ascension president Play Video

  August 1, 2016 11:15 AM

  GONZALES- Audio recordings first published this morning by the Pelican Post , an online newspaper in Ascension Parish, appear to show Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa offering a bribe to a man running for a seat on the Gonzales City Council. That bribe included at least $1,200 in cash and... more »

• 'I did a terrible job,' Matassa says of how he handled employee's firing

  May 17, 2016 1:18 PM

  GONZALES - In a letter emailed to WBRZ Tuesday afternoon, Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa apologized for his handling of an employee's termination recently. The firing of planning director Ricky Compton was the focus of a WBRZ Investigative Unit report last week . In a recording, land owner Dempsey... more »

• Was a high ranking parish employee fired over campaign promise? Play Video

  May 12, 2016 4:57 PM

  GONZALES- Tonight, there are allegations the "good ole boy" network is running strong in Ascension Parish. A prominent land owner claims he brought Parish President Kenny Matassa money to fire a high ranking parish employee. That land owner donated hundreds of dollars to Kenny Matassa. What is unclear tonight was... more »

• Turn lane of LA 73 near LA 42 to be closed for three weeks

  April 18, 2016 5:01 PM

  PRARIEVILLE - Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa announced that the turn lane of northbound LA 73 onto east LA 42 will be closed for the next three weeks. The turn lane will be closed from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily for three weeks while construction crews install a sewer... more »

• Ascension declares April as Child Abuse Prevention Month

  April 8, 2016 3:39 PM

  ASCENSION- Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa declared April as “Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the parish. Matassa presented the proclamation to Erin Mire, the advocate supervisor with Children Advocacy Services (CAS) Gonzales Regional Office, at the April 7 parish council meeting in Donaldsonville. Mire said that CAS served 70 children... more »

• Ascension to hold Hazardous Material Collection Day in May

  March 30, 2016 4:11 PM

  ASCENSION - Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa announced the Household Hazardous Materials (Haz Mat) Collection Day for the parish will be held on Saturday, May 14. The event will be held at the Lamar-Dixon Center at 9039 St. Landry Road in Gonzales. The event is for only Ascension Parish residents... more »

• Ascension Parish debris cleanup to start next Tuesday

  March 24, 2016 3:43 PM

  ASCENSION - Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa announced that debris removal will start next week due to the recent flooding that has occurred in the area. Parish crews will begin removing debris on Tuesday, Mar. 29 Residents are asked to begin separating debris by type and move it to the... more »

• Ascension Parish president announces top 10 projects for the year

  March 21, 2016 12:48 PM

  GONZALES - Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa announced Monday that his administration will focus on ten top projects to complete this year. 1) Road projects involving the St. Landry Road/Endenborne extension and the St. Landry Road/Ashland Road connector to ease traffic congestion along Hwy. 30. 2) Two waste water... more »

• Ascension, Livingston waterways to reopen Saturday

  March 18, 2016 12:37 PM

  ASCENSION - Boaters in Ascension and Livingston Parishes can return to waterways this weekend. Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa announced on Friday that all Ascension Parish waterways will be re-open to recreational boat traffic starting at Midnight Saturday. Waterways were closed to boaters last week after sever weather battered... more »

• Blinking stop signs make traffic stops easy for drivers to spot Play Video

  March 3, 2016 11:28 PM

  ASCENSION – Newly installed stop signs, equipped with flashing red lights, are hard to miss at four-way-stops in Ascension Parish. Lawmakers say the idea is to make the roads safer by lighting up stop signs. that otherwise. would have been hard to spot. Ascension Parish President, Kenny Matassa, said they... more »

• Ascension residents invited to emergency preparedness meeting

  March 2, 2016 3:07 PM

  GONZALES – Ascension Parish residents are invited to an emergency preparedness meeting on March. 16. Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa will announce parish drainage, flood zone and emergency preparedness and will take questions from the public. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 at... more »

• Matassa, new Ascension Parish council sworn in

  January 4, 2016 2:50 PM

  GONZALES - Kenny Matassa has a lot to be grateful for at the beginning of 2016. Matassa was sworn in as president of Ascension Parish Monday, alongside the new and returning members of the parish council. In attendance for the swearing-in was his son Nick Matassa, who was badly... more »

• No recount for Ascension Parish president's race Play Video

  November 24, 2015 10:24 AM

  GONZALES - After losing the Ascension Parish president's seat by only 115 votes over the weekend, Clint Cointment officially conceded Tuesday morning and said he will not seek a full recount of the vote. Kenny Matassa won the election for parish president Saturday night, but the margin was close... more »

• Just over 100 votes decides Ascension Parish president

  November 21, 2015 10:52 PM

  GONZALES - For the first time in 25 years, voters elected a new president for Ascension Parish. Kenny Matassa defeated Clint Cointment by only 115 votes Saturday night -- 15,078 to 14,963. He will replace four-term President Tommy Martinez, who announced a year ago he would not run... more »

• Plant explosion victim son of elected official Play Video

  September 4, 2015 3:07 PM

  GEISMAR - The most seriously injured worker from Thursday night's plant explosion in Geismar is the son of Kenny Matassa, mayor pro tem of Gonzales and a candidate for parish president, according to a representative for his family. Anna White with Matassa's campaign said his youngest son, 34-year-old Nick... more »