Around Ascension for July 29, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com – The Advocate

Ascension library reopens

The Ascension Parish Library System reopens July 29.

The library closed earlier this month after several employees tested positive for the coronavirus.

Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

For more information, call library director Jennifer Patterson during operating hours at (225) 647-3955; visit http://www.myAPL.org, or follow the library on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@myAPLibrary).

Ascension public school officials have announced an amendment to a policy for serving meals to students under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs for the 20202021 school year.

All students will be served lunch and breakfast at no charge at the following sites:

For additional information, contact the Ascension Public Schools Child Nutrition Program, Leuna Johnson, child nutrition supervisor, (225) 391-7335.

As part of efforts to fight litter and clean up Ascension Parish, President Clint Cointment announced that Ascension Parish is accepting white goods at the Recycling Center on Churchpoint Road.

We have contracted with a company to haul away scrap metal from our recycling center, Cointment said. And they pay us for the metal they take.

White goods are any large machines used in routine housekeeping, such as cooking, food preservation or cleaning, whether in a household, institutional, commercial or industrial setting. White goods include refrigerators, freezers, stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers and water heaters.

Cointment said the parish has been accepting scrap metal and has a separate bin specifically designated for metals.

The Recycling Center is at the DPW headquarters, 42077 Churchpoint Road in Gonzales. Operating hours are Monday to Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Read more here:

Around Ascension for July 29, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com - The Advocate

Zachary girl, Ascension boy selected as Youth Hunters of the Year – The Advocate

Hagen Reitzell and Douglas Frey had deer hunts in the fall of 2019 that theyll never forget. Both 8 years old, they harvested their first deer, both doing so while hunting with their fathers.

They were selected from among dozens of applicants as the 2019 Female and Male Youth Hunters of the Year, a program that is a joint effort with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Louisiana Wildlife Federation.

Youth Hunters of the Year will receive a plaque in recognition of their achievement and a gift certificate from Bowie Outfitters.

Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Growing the sport of hunting is one of our primary goals at LDWF, said LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet. The stories of Hagen and Douglas are wonderful examples of Louisiana families passing down the sport of hunting from generation to generation. We are pleased to partner with the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in recognizing our states young hunters and hope they all have success as they pursue this great sport.

This program is eye-opening about young hunters enjoying the outdoors and its great to have an opportunity to recognize them and encourage our hunting heritage, said Barney Callahan, a Louisiana Wildlife Federation board member.

Reitzell, the Female Youth Hunter of the Year, of Zachary, detailed her take of a doe on family property in East Feliciana Parish on Nov. 1.

Frey, the Male Hunter of the Year from Gonzales, told of his successful hunt in which he harvested a button buck near Oakdale in Allen Parish on Oct. 12.

Fathers played an important part in both hunts.

For Hagen, the 2018 season was disappointing. It was her first time to hunt and in seven times out she never saw a deer. On the eighth and final hunt of the year, she finally had a shot at a doe but missed.

When we got in the truck, we both made a promise that she would kill one this year, said Hagens father, Scott Reitzell. They made good on that promise during the first hunt of 2019.

I was planning to shoot the first deer that came out but (the doe) turned, Hagen said. So I saw another, and my dad told me to pull the trigger when I was ready. I didnt see it run away so I thought I missed. Then I heard my dad laughing. I looked again and the deer was lying on the ground.

Hagen made the shot count, taking a 135-pound doe as her first deer.

I cried, and I was very happy, Hagen said. My mom and sister came to see it. It was so much fun. I want to (harvest) a buck next season.

ScottReitzell said he was as happy as his daughter. He grew up waterfowl and dove hunting with his father, taking to the outdoors when he was 5.

I was so glad on the first hunt, 20 minutes after sitting down, the does came in and she made a great shot, ScottReitzell said. She is incredibly excited about this award and hunting in general.

While Hagen had a short wait the day she took her first deer, Douglas had to be a bit more patient. His successful hunt actually began the day before when he, his father, Brett, and grandfather, Dave, arrived at the site. Douglas and Brett went to the range to do some practice shooting before retiring for the night.

They went to the tree stand the next morning but came up empty. After three hours, they went back to the camp and prepared for the afternoon hunt. That looked to be futile as well as the trio waited for two hours with nothing moving.

But then I saw a button buck about 80 yards away, Douglas said.

With his sight set on the deers torso, Douglas took the shot. The deer jumped up, he said, and ran into the woods.

We were looking but didnt see any blood, Douglas said. Then my dad shouted, There he is. I was so excited. I thought it was a doe but it was a button buck. My Poppa Dave picked us up and we cleaned it.

It was one of my best hunts because it was my first deer. It was also special because I did it with my dad.

And that meant a lot to Brett Frey, who grew up in Eunice and learned to hunt as a kid with his father, who was also named Douglas. Brett said his father was his best friend, who, like Brett, taught him to hunt as a boy.

My father died when I was 18, Brett said. So I told my wife when we were married that when we had our first son, Id like to name him Douglas. But when she was pregnant, she didnt want to know if it was a boy or girl until he or she was born. It was Douglas, and he was born on Oct. 25. That was my dads birthday. I believe that was a God thing.

Douglas has inherited his father and both grandfathers love of hunting. His first hunt was on a Thanksgiving morning when he joined Brett Frey on a duck hunt when he was 4. He harvested his first turkey when he was 6, and after he took his first deer last fall, he harvested four other deer the rest of the season.

Douglas loves everything about hunting and being outside, Brett Frey said. Its pretty incredible. Ill take him deer hunting with me and he will sit in a stand for three hours and not see anything and hes mad when we leave. Every time I go hunting now, I take him with me.

The 2020 Youth Hunter of the Year contest application will be announced later this year. For information on the program and how to apply contact Eric Shanks at (337) 491-2575 or eshanks@wlf.la.gov or Rebecca Triche at (225) 344-6707 or rebecca@lawildlifefed.org. For information on the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, go to lawildlifefed.org.

Read the original post:

Zachary girl, Ascension boy selected as Youth Hunters of the Year - The Advocate

Sheriff awards honorary sheriff certificates to 2 health care heros – The Advocate

On July 21, Sheriff Bobby Webre named Coroner Dr. John Fraiche and Our Lady of the Lake Ascension medical director Dr. Chris Trevino as July Honorary Sheriffs for the Month.

Webre said he wanted to recognize the two doctors for their steadfast efforts during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said Fraiche and Trevino demonstrate commitment and dedication to quality health care for the people and families of this region not only during the COVID crisis but daily.

Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

I take great pride in recognizing two of Ascensions health care heroes, Webre said. Law enforcement officers and health care providers both understand the importance of getting it right the first time. These men represent their profession at its best, and I am thankful for the vigilance and care.

See more here:

Sheriff awards honorary sheriff certificates to 2 health care heros - The Advocate

Running for office: Justice of the peace, 1st justice court – The Advocate

Tamiko Francis-Garrison is running for the Ascension Parish justice of the peace, first justice court office.

The office of the justice of the peace serves to help residents know where to go and settle disputes, Francis-Garrison said.

I have been a resource in our community and proven to be fair and just, always doing my due diligence before making any decisions, said Francis-Garrison. She works in the capacity of manager of the special investigations unit, Louisiana Region, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, a subsidiary of the Centene Corporation.

Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Francis-Garrison has been involved in the justice system for over 20 years and if elected, she pledges to "treat every person who appears before her with fairness and respect."

She is a 51-year-old native of Donaldsonville and a product of both the Ascension Parish Public School System and Ascension Catholic Parochial Schools. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting in 1990 from Southern University in Baton Rouge. Francis-Garrison is a certified fraud examiner, an accredited health care fraud investigator and has a national certified investigator and inspector training basic certification.

Francis-Garrison spent 15 years as a special agent with the Internal Revenue Service in Phoenix, Arizona, New Orleans and Chicago, Illinois, before making the life-changing decision to return to Donaldsonville in 2004. Since her return to Louisiana and over the past 16 years, she has owned and operated Francis Investigations, a private investigations firm, served as a director of compliance at Southern University, senior auditor with the state, and the Executive Director of AMIkids Donaldsonville.

In 2012 she became the Executive Director of AMIkids Baton Rouge serving students until she began her disability due to an end stage renal failure diagnosis. Within one year of the initial diagnosis and six months on dialysis, she received a living donor kidney transplant from her brother, BJ Francis Jr. In 2015, she returned to work as a Medicaid investigator with Louisiana Healthcare Connections.

Her community impact extends to serving as the volunteer co-chairperson of the City of Donaldsonvilles Juneteenth Music Festival and the founder and volunteer coordinator of the Donaldsonville Mayor's Youth Advisory Council. She is a charter member of the Ascension Alumnae Chapter and a current member of Baton Rouge Delta Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She is the chairwoman of the Capital Area United Way African American Leadership Council, serves on the board of directors for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and was appointed to serve on the Advisory Board of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. She is the past president of the Tri-Parish Chapter of Southern University Alumni Federation and served as the president of the board of directors for the River Road African American Museum. She also served on the City of Donaldsonvilles Planning and Zoning Commission. She was the first female African-American Ascension Parish Councilwoman. Francis-Garrison is a Democrat.

She has been married to her husband, Ira, for over 13 years and they have one daughter, Tamiko. They are members of St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church. Her parents were the late Bernard and Janet Francis of Donaldsonville.

She said she has dedicated her life to helping others and lives by the Mahatma Gandhi quote, The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Visit link:

Running for office: Justice of the peace, 1st justice court - The Advocate

Beaumont hospitals, Ascension Providence rank among top in Detroit area – The Oakland Press

Beaumont Healths Royal Oak and Troy hospitals ranked second and third in the Detroit area in U.S. News & World Reports annual rankings, released Tuesday, July 28.

Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, was ranked second.

Beaumonts Troy hospital tied with its Grosse Pointe hospital for third place.

Another Oakland County hospital, Ascension Providence in Southfield, ranked fifth.

Here are the top hospitals in the Detroit area, according to the magazine:

The magazine also ranked the top hospital in each state and in several medical specialties.

Beaumont's Royal Oak location kept its second-place ranking in the statewide list,. Beaumont's Troy and Grosse Pointe locations remained tied for third place in the statewide scoring.

HOW HOSPITALS WERE RANKED

The magazine looked at survival rates, patient experiences and other measures of performance, factoring in socioeconomic differences to avoid penalizing hospitals that care for poorer or sicker people.

The magazine cautioned that the rankings should be just a starting point for people preparing for a medical procedure.

Hospitals are evaluated across a wide range of conditions and procedures. Within that range, hospitals can and do perform differently. In pulmonology & lung surgery, for example, a hospital might rank below another one but do better at treating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the magazines website says.

Patients still have to do their own research and talk with their doctors. We also understand that families have to consider such factors as the stress and expense of travel and lodging in another city and their insurer's willingness to pay for care if a hospital is out of network.

To learn more about the rankings, go to https://health.usnews.com/health-care/best-hospitals/articles/faq-how-and-why-we-rank-and-rate-hospitals..

View post:

Beaumont hospitals, Ascension Providence rank among top in Detroit area - The Oakland Press

Tentative approval given for medical clinic at Port Washington and Highland – Greater Milwaukee Today

MEQUON A key parcel in the city of Mequons carefully planned East Growth Neighborhood could be home to a medical office building, rather than the subdivision that some neighbors had hoped.

The Mequon Planning Commission Monday recommended approving a rezoning request for an Ascension Medical Clinic on the northwest corner of Port Washington and Highland roads, though there are many more hurdles for the health care organization to jump.

A number of factors with the proposal caused concern for some commission members, including Mayor John Wirth.

The 30,000-square-foot building is 50 percent larger than the newly created neighborhood commercial zoning calls for. There was also concern about whether it would fit in with the adjacent residential zoning.

The corner is considered a gateway into the East Growth Neighborhood plan, a road map to development in the area generally bound by Interstate 43 to the east, Oriole Lane and Ulao Creek to the west, Highland Road to the south and Pioneer Road to the north.

The Mequon Common Council was updated on the project at its July 14 meeting, hearing about everything from proposed land uses, to utility availability, to architectural standards.

While the proposed clinic property is currently zoned residential, the East Growth plan calls for it to be rezoned to the new neighborhood commercial. It also calls for the property to the west and north to be single-family homes.

The owner of the property, Highland Investments LLC, in partnership with other entities, asked for the rezoning to neighborhood commercial. The rezoning request is for a 4.2-acre portion of the 40-acre parcel. The rest of the site would remain residential, according to a staff memo.

The rezoning request would limit it to medical use only.

A planning commission subcommittee had determined that the new zoning would be most appropriate for the site. And the community development office staff also supported the rezoning based on the conditions listed in the memo.

Blake Estes, executive director of strategy and planning at Ascension, told the commission that Ascension Wisconsin is seeking to relocate its primary care office from across the street. The facility would offer expanded services, including primary care, speciality care, diagnostic radiology and physical therapy.

We are very, very excited about this site and the potential it has to expand health care offerings, he said, adding that Ascension Wisconsin seeks to be the best possible neighbor.

Nick Patera, a landscape architect and senior vice president at Teska, talked about the teams commitment to respecting the corridor, saying they would look at the site as a foreground and a cornerstone that would emphasize the architecture and the landscape first and foremost.

What youre not seeing is a parking field in front of a building, but its the other way around, Patera said.

The proposed 130 parking spaces would go behind the building.

Commissioners were not necessarily unhappy with the plan, but more with the size and its compatibility with the future residential neighborhoods that will surround it. Wirth said that the layout is great from the perspective of Port Washington Road.

But what does that do to the residential that adjoins it? he asked.

Read the original:

Tentative approval given for medical clinic at Port Washington and Highland - Greater Milwaukee Today

Global Macrofiltration Market: Affected Analysis by COVID 19 on Industry with Leading Players like- Amiad Water Systems, Ascension Industries, Inc.,…

In the Macrofiltration statistical surveying study, 2019 is considered as the base year, and 2020-2027 is considered as the estimate time frame to anticipate the market size. Significant districts stressed in the report incorporate North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Pacific region Middle East & Africa. The global macrofiltration market size was valued $6.2 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $9.9 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 6.2%

The report on the Macrofiltration Market gives a foot perspective on the present continuing inside the Macrofiltration market. Further, the report likewise considers the effect of the novel COVID-19 pandemic on the Macrofiltration market and offers an away from of the anticipated market variances during the estimate time frame.

The global Macrofiltration market report covers major market players such asAmiad Water Systems, Ascension Industries, Inc., Danaher Corporation, Filtration Group, Mann+Hummel, MTB Technologies Sp. Z O.O., Ostwald Filtration Systems GmbH, Parker Hannifin, Pentair PLC, SUEZ water technologies Inc.

Get Free Sample PDF (including full TOC, Tables and Figures) of Macrofiltration Market @ https://www.apexmarketsresearch.com/report/macrofiltration-market-by-product-granular-micro-filter-filter-666876/#sample

In 2027, the Macrofiltration market is spectated to outperform ~US$ xx Mn/Bn with a CAGR of xx% over the estimate time frame. The Macrofiltration market clicked an estimation of ~US$ xx Mn/Bn in 2019. Region is required to represent a critical piece of the overall industry, where the Macrofiltration market size is anticipated to blow up with a CAGR of xx% during the estimate time frame.

The report inspects each Macrofiltration market player as per its piece of the pie, creation impression, and development rate. SWOT examination of the players (qualities, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) has been covered in this report. Further, the Macrofiltration market study portrays the ongoing dispatches, understandings, R&D undertakings, and business systems of the market players including.

High Points of the Global Macrofiltration Report:

The research report includes specific segments by Type and by Application. This study provides information about the sales and revenue during the historic and forecasted period of 2015 to 2027.

Global Macrofiltration Market: Segmentation

By Product

By Industry Vertical

Place Inquiry for Buying or Customization of Report: https://www.apexmarketsresearch.com/report/macrofiltration-market-by-product-granular-micro-filter-filter-666876/#inquiry

Global Macrofiltration Market: Regional Analysis

The Macrofiltration market is examined and showcase size data is given by region. The report incorporates nation astute and region-wise market size for the period 2015-2027. It additionally incorporates showcase size and conjecture by Type and by Application fragment as far as deals and income for the period 2015-2027.

The key regions covered in the Macrofiltration market report are:

The examination report on the global Macrofiltration market offers a treasury of economic situations and strategies wherein the market has been acting in various circumstances. Additionally, SWOT investigation and Porters Five Forces examination are utilized to speak to the positive and negative factors that are affecting the market development. Additionally, this report covers the inside and out factual examination and the market elements and requests which give an entire situation of the business.

Global Macrofiltration Market: Competitive Analysis

This area of the report recognizes different key makers of the market. It enables the reader to comprehend the systems and coordinated efforts that players are concentrating on battle rivalry in the market. The extensive report gives a critical infinitesimal gander at the market. The reader can distinguish the impressions of the producers by thinking about the worldwide income of makers, the worldwide cost of manufacturer, and deals by makers during the conjecture time of 2015 to 2027.

Continue reading here:

Global Macrofiltration Market: Affected Analysis by COVID 19 on Industry with Leading Players like- Amiad Water Systems, Ascension Industries, Inc.,...

Sound Physicians’ Partner Hospitals Recognized as Top Facilities in the Country – Benzinga

TACOMA, Wash., July 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Sound Physicians is honored to share that three of the top five hospitals on the Best Hospitals of America list are Sound Physicians' partners John Peter Smith Hospital Health Network (JPS) in Fort Worth, TX; Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital in Austin, TX; and Mercy HealthWest Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. The Best Hospitals of America list reflects a ranking system developed by the Lown Institute, in partnership with the Washington Monthly, using a new methodology that takes a fresh approach to assess our nation's hospital outcomes.

The Lown Institute, a nonpartisan health care think tank, created the Best Hospitals for America ranking using data drawn from the Lown Institute Hospitals Index that measures how well hospitals care for their patients and gauges the contributions hospitals make to the country and their communities. The Lown Institute Index shows how nearly 3,300 U.S. hospitals compare on 42 performance indicators; the measures fall under three categories:

"We strive to improve quality and lower the cost of care for patients in the communities we serve, and I am proud Sound partners with three of the top five hospitals in the country who are being acknowledged for the value they provide," said Robert Bessler, MD, Founder and CEO, Sound Physicians. "We believe it's a reflection on our deep investments in our people and processes that drive reproducible outcomes for our patients and hospital partners."

Sound provides both hospital medicine and physician advisory services at JPS, who tops the Best Hospital list, delivering care for over 50% of the patients. At Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital, Sound provides both hospital medicine and telemedicine services delivering care for over 90% of the patients. And at Mercy Health West Hospital, Sound provides hospital medicine services delivering care for 75% of the patients.

For the full ranking of more than 3,200 hospitals, see the Lown Institute Hospitals Index at http://www.LownHospitalsIndex.org.

About Sound Physicians

Sound Physicians is a leading healthcare organization with a proven track record of improving quality, satisfaction, and financial performance for its partners nationwide. Sound combines a high-performance model with engaged clinicians to drive predictable and repeatable improvements in quality and cost across the acute episode of care through emergency medicine, hospital medicine, critical care, anesthesia, telemedicine, physician advisory services, and value-based care.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sound-physicians-partner-hospitals-recognized-as-top-facilities-in-the-country-301102895.html

SOURCE Sound Physicians

Read more:

Sound Physicians' Partner Hospitals Recognized as Top Facilities in the Country - Benzinga

Coronavirus in Baton Rouge: Louisiana’s biggest parish not far behind Orleans in number of cases – The Advocate

As the novel coronavirus continues its mid-summer surge across the state, East Baton Rouge Parish has closed in fast on Orleans Parish for the second-highest total number of diagnosed cases in Louisiana, new health data show.

In the spring, Orleans Parish was the epicenter of the viral pandemic. But, as cases have risen and different parts of the state have flashed with outbreaks, Orleans has slowly given ground to other parishes even as it slowly adds cases.

Next-door Jefferson Parish passed Orleans in early May and continues to have the most total cases in Louisiana.

Now, East Baton Rouge, which is Louisianas most populous parish, is not far behind Orleans though it remains thousands of cases behind Jefferson, state data show.

As store manager of a Taco Bell in Denham Springs, Shonda Brown spent most of thecoronavirus pandemic laboring nonstop as an essential worker

Thats a significant change from July 1, when East Baton Rouge was more than 2,500 cases behind Orleans' total. By Friday, the gap has narrowed to 359 cases, health data show.

Susan Hassig, a Tulane University epidemiologist whose research specialty includes infectious disease outbreaks, said that, with that kind of growth, it wont be long before East Baton Rouge Parish overtakes Orleans.

She suggested Orleans residents early experience with the virus and the sharp rise in cases exacerbated by Mardi Gras have had a lingering psychological impact that has affected peoples social distancing behavior and city restrictions, which have slowed new cases.

I think the New Orleanians, you know, got the pants scared off of them with that high early spike and everything else," she said. "And, yeah, theres some people that arent masking, but there are a lot of people who are staying home and the ones that are going out are generally being really careful when they are going out."

Mayor LaToya Cantrell also eased social distancing restrictions more slowly than the state in May and more quickly instituted mask requirements in June.

Hassig pointed out that the mayor also offered pretty strong messages about the threat of the virus and the need to maintain social distancing restrictions. Cantrell has also faced strong pushback from business leaders worried about the economic and tourism impact of continued restrictions.

Through Friday, East Baton Rouge Parish has had 9,393 cases of the novel coronavirus since the virus was first detected in the parish in mid-March. The parish added 224 new cases on Friday, the third consecutive day with more than 200 cases.

During July, the parish has had 12 days with more than 200 cases and hasn't had fewer than 103 cases per day, with the exception of two days when data weren't reported.

The sharp growth in new cases has far exceeded the worst peak in April. East Baton Rouge Parish broke 9,000 cases and the 12-parish capital area broke 20,000 cases on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Baton Rouge region has three parishes outside East Baton Rouge Parish that have had more than 2,000 cases: Livingston at 2,212, Ascension at 2,175 and Tangipahoa at 2,692.

Statewide, 67% of all people who have tested positive for the virus have recovered.

In addition to East Baton Rouges rise, the latest case figures also speak in other ways to the changing geographic nature of the virus's spread.

Since the outbreak started, Ascension had remained ahead of Livingston in cases and deaths. But, on Monday, Livingston Parish finally overtook Ascension in total case numbers.

The parishes, two of the most populous suburban parishes in the Baton Rouge area, both broke 2,000 total cases the next day, and Livingston has since widened the gap with Ascension.

The rise in cases has come amid a major testing push that has nearly doubled the daily average number of completed tests in the region since July 1, an Advocate analysis shows.

The latest increases in cases have also affected a younger portion of the population than earlier in the outbreak. Those younger demographic groups are far less likely to suffer severe health consequences or death.

But the growth in cases has still brought new strains on the health system and other negative outcomes. Based on federal benchmarks, that suggests the rising numbers cant be attributed to more testing alone.

Meanwhile, deaths from the virus, which had remained at low levels for weeks with a handful or zero fatalities each day, may be starting an upward turn.

East Baton Rouge has had 18 deaths since Sunday, while the 12-parish region has had 39.

East Baton Rouge broke 300 deaths from COVID-19 this week and had 306 as of Friday, state health data show.

Deaths from the virus typically come weeks after cases are diagnosed and people are admitted to hospitals.

As of Friday, just 14% of all staffed intensive care unit beds in the state health region that includes much of the Baton Rouge area 31 out of 221 beds -- were still available for any medical need, state data show.

In early June, bed availability was running around 40% of total capacity.

Hassig said the virus has proven itself able to take advantage of opportunities and slowly and quietly build up a critical mass.

Part of it is that Baton Rouge had a long percolating build up to this point, and now its rearing its ugly head, she said.

Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Go here to read the rest:

Coronavirus in Baton Rouge: Louisiana's biggest parish not far behind Orleans in number of cases - The Advocate

Sound Physicians’ Partner Hospitals Recognized as Top Facilities in the Country – KHQ Right Now

TACOMA, Wash., July 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Sound Physicians is honored to share that three of the top five hospitals on the Best Hospitals of America list are Sound Physicians' partners John Peter Smith Hospital Health Network (JPS) in Fort Worth, TX; Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital in Austin, TX; and Mercy HealthWest Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. The Best Hospitals of America list reflects a ranking system developed by the Lown Institute, in partnership with the Washington Monthly, using a new methodology that takes a fresh approach to assess our nation's hospital outcomes.

The Lown Institute, a nonpartisan health care think tank, created the Best Hospitals for America ranking using data drawn from the Lown Institute Hospitals Index that measures how well hospitals care for their patients and gauges the contributions hospitals make to the country and their communities. The Lown Institute Index shows how nearly 3,300 U.S. hospitals compare on 42 performance indicators; the measures fall under three categories:

"We strive to improve quality and lower the cost of care for patients in the communities we serve, and I am proud Sound partners with three of the top five hospitals in the country who are being acknowledged for the value they provide," said Robert Bessler, MD, Founder and CEO, Sound Physicians. "We believe it's a reflection on our deep investments in our people and processes that drive reproducible outcomes for our patients and hospital partners."

Sound provides both hospital medicine and physician advisory services at JPS, who tops the Best Hospital list, delivering care for over 50% of the patients. At Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital, Sound provides both hospital medicine and telemedicine services delivering care for over 90% of the patients. And at Mercy Health West Hospital, Sound provides hospital medicine services delivering care for 75% of the patients.

For the full ranking of more than 3,200 hospitals, see the Lown Institute Hospitals Index at http://www.LownHospitalsIndex.org.

About Sound Physicians

Sound Physicians is a leading healthcare organization with a proven track record of improving quality, satisfaction, and financial performance for its partners nationwide. Sound combines a high-performance model with engaged clinicians to drive predictable and repeatable improvements in quality and cost across the acute episode of care through emergency medicine, hospital medicine, critical care, anesthesia, telemedicine, physician advisory services, and value-based care.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

View original post here:

Sound Physicians' Partner Hospitals Recognized as Top Facilities in the Country - KHQ Right Now

Newlyweds Brought Closer Together by Husband’s Heart Transplant – Wgnsradio

Monica and Kevin felt an immediate spark when they met at a mutual friend's birthday party in 2012. But before they could schedule their first official date, Kevin was rushed to the hospital. As the Memphis-area couple's relationship grew, Monica learned that Kevin suffered from a chronic condition called congestive heart failure. Despite the fact that he led a heart-healthy lifestyle, the 34-year-old barber periodically experienced episodes of extreme shortness of breath and severe pain caused by fluid buildup in his lungs and other organs. Lying in bed sometimes hurt Kevin so much that he had to stack pillows around his body for support and sleep with his chest bent to his knees. At some points, Kevin was in too much pain to go work. He took a variety of medicines and had regular cardiology appointments, but the bouts persisted as the couple married and built a life together in Olive Branch, Mississippi, with Kevin's young daughter.

In April 2019, the couple drove to Nashville for their first consultation with Dr. Warren Stribling of Ascension Saint Thomas Heart. Dr. Stribling surprised the couple by asking Kevin to stay in Nashville for about a week of observation. Although Kevin didn't have any clothes packed for a lengthy stay and Monica hated leaving town without her husband, she says now that "it was the best decision we could have ever made for our family."

During that first stay at Ascension Saint Thomas West, Dr. Stribling mentioned that Kevin might ultimately need a transplant. After testing, observation, paperwork, and a short return to Olive Branch, Kevin was officially added to the transplant wait list in July 2019. On August 22, 2019, Dr. Ashok Babu announced that a heart had arrived for Kevin. Monica recalls that she was "a big ball of emotions" as she sat waiting during Kevin's operation. After the successful surgery, the couple stayed at the Hospitality House of Nashville for three months as Kevin regained his strength.

Today, the family of four is thriving. Monica, now 37, gave birth to their youngest daughter in 2016 and teaches personal finance to juniors and seniors at a Germantown high school. Kevin, now 42, has returned to his beloved job as a barber. Monica jokes, "I call Kevin my 'Tin Man' because he got his new heart." The couple celebrates little victories like the moment in February 2020 when Kevin was finally approved to drive his car again. They are taking extra precautions during the pandemic to keep Kevin safe, as being a recent transplant recipient puts him at higher-risk for developing Covid-19 complications.

"I used to wonder 'Why me, God'?" says Kevin, adding: "Now I think to myself, 'Why not me'? Why can'tIbe an example to others? I enjoy every day I get with my family and my job, and I ask God to use me however He wants."

The couple has now been married 4 years and they will celebrate Kevin's 1-year "heartiversary" on August 23.

More:

Newlyweds Brought Closer Together by Husband's Heart Transplant - Wgnsradio

‘I feel like they don’t care.’ Detroit teen dies during mother’s fights to keep him on life support – WXYZ

DETROIT (WXYZ) UPDATE: Family confirmed to 7 Action News that DeVonte Andrews, 18, died Sunday at 12:15 a.m. after being on life support for a week.

_______

A Detroit mother is battling to keep her teen son on life support after he was shot multiple times last week.

LeAnne Andrews claims her son, DeVonte Andrews, 18, was shot four times in a drive-by shooting near Meuse and McKinney.

"I feel like they don't care," LeAnne said.

RELATED: Police search for drive-by shooter after 4 injured at party on Detroit's east side

In a Facebook post, LeAnne claims DeVonte's condition is improving despite doctors at Ascension St. John Hospital declaring him brain dead. She also said the hospital is ready to pull the plug.

RELATED: Suspect in drive-by shooting that injured 4 teens killed in officer-involved shooting

Andrews also said they've fallen short of convincing her that there's no hope.

"He had life reaction... his arms went in and [medical staff] don't pay any attention to that," LeAnne said.

A spokesperson with Ascension St. John hospital would not respond to the specific questions about DeVonte's medical condition but provided the following statement:"We hold the privacy of our patients in the highest regard. With this, and in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, we do not comment publicly on specific patient related matters."

LeAnne said she wants her son to be transferred to another hospital to recover.

Read the rest here:

'I feel like they don't care.' Detroit teen dies during mother's fights to keep him on life support - WXYZ

Next on ballot: A cut in Ascension library taxes could redirect funds to more infrastructure – The Advocate

PRAIRIEVILLEWhen Ascension Parish voters head to the polls Aug. 15, they will be asked to weigh in on an uncommon question whether to reduce a property tax.

Ascension Parish Library officials want voters to consolidate and renew the longstanding property taxes for the 60-year-old library system but at a rate 15% below current levels.

If approved, other parish officials say that could allow them to reroute money to improving roads without raising overall taxes.

Library officials say rising land values, new construction and an expanding industrial base will allow the four-branch library system to afford the cut in tax revenue and, along with reserves judiciously preserved by past leaders, continue previous expansion plans that include a new branch in St. Amant and big upgrades in Donaldsonville.

"We're hoping that this will be a good will gesture in our community and also show people that we are responsible with their tax money," said Jennifer Patterson, the library director.

This table shows the difference in revenue growth for the Ascension Parish Library system from 2021 to 2030 between the existing millage rate and a reduction proposed on the ballot Aug. 15. Library officials are seeking a tax renewal that would lower the current millage rate by .99 mills, from 6.59 mills to 5.6 mills. The library has rolled back its millage rate in recent years to the current level but retains the legal authority to levy up to 6.8 mills. The ballot measure would reduce the maximum levy to 5.6 mills. Ascension library and Assessor's Office officials developed this graphic.

In a parish that has roundly rejected new taxes for parish government over the past decade, some parish officials are now saying they may pursue the millage capacity the library could surrender to use for roads or other infrastructure.

"You know, I have had more than one councilman say to me, 'I would like to see it be utilized for roads,'" said Councilwoman Teri Casso, the council chair and a member of the library board. "I don't know of anything that is more needed in Ascension Parish than (roads) and that needs a dedicated revenue source."

If approved by voters, the library's two property taxes would be consolidated and reduced from a combined 6.59 mills to 5.6 mills. The tax is for 10 years. In 2020, 1 mill is projected to generate about $1.53 million.

A family with a $250,000 home would save $17.33 per year if voters approve the property tax reduction. Their annual tax bill for the library would drop to $98. Businesses would save considerably more.

The current library leadership has been willing to cut their tax levy before. During the 2016 reassessment year, the library board agreed to permanently give up 0.21 mills from the traditional 6.8 mills in combined property tax the system had collected for years beforehand with voter approval.

But, considered from a longer term view, the library's more recent push to trim its own tax rate represents a 180-degree turn from the past.

GONZALES Improving roads, drainage and other infrastructure in Ascension Parish and finding a way to pay for that work without new taxes wer

In 2010, as the council was then considering whether to put the library tax renewals on the ballot, then-Parish Councilman Chris Loar gave voice to an idea quietly discussed among some in the parish's political and business leadership at the time.

The parish library system and some other parish entities with longstanding dedicated property taxes were over-funded, they argued. Those taxes could be partially reprioritized toward the parish's ailing roads and other infrastructure needs without a tax increase and little pain to the entities that lost the revenue because of continued growth in land values and construction.

Loar proposed a 38% cut in the library's millage rate that could be rededicated later to roads. But he encountered opposition from the library's leadership and their patrons, who argued the reduction would gut services and expansion plans. Library officials prevailed in convincing a majority of the council to put the existing millage rates on the ballot that fall. Voters endorsed them more than 2-1.

A decade later, with those taxes back up for renewal, new leadership at the library system had gone into a two- to three-year dive into their finances and worked with the Assessor's Office before proposing the cut.

"We pretty much went down line by line and looked at expenses and what can we control and run better," said Henry Schexnayder, the chairman of the library board and a banker.

With the reduction, the library's annual revenue would drop by $1.5 million to $2.2 million annually. Based on the assessor's projections, the library would need six years to surpass what it would collect in the first year if the existing rates were renewed, when revenues are projected to hit nearly $11 million.

Large industrial tax exemptions granted in the late 2000s and early 2010s, when plants like CF Industries underwent major expansions, are expected to end in the mid-2020s.

Even with the downturn caused by the novel coronavirus shutdown, Assessor M.J. "Mert" Smiley Jr. said, the 10-year projections remain solid: "I dont have any doubt, unless the economy would just take a huge dive, and we're recovering already. I dont see those (revenue projections) as unrealistic at all."

The push to cut the library taxes has come as library officials are charting a more modern vision for the system. While plans include adding new buildings with plenty of books, the board has shifted from large stand-alone libraries toward a community center concept that joins them with other government entities and recreational amenities. These branches would also expand on electronic and other offerings to specific communities and younger generations more geared to online information.

"So, the library had to acknowledge, recognize and appreciate that it continues to have a role in this new way of gathering knowledge, but it has to be relevant. It could not continue to be the library of the '50s and '60s. It can't," Casso added.

GONZALES A debate over how much property tax voters should be asked to support this fall for Ascension Parish public libraries heads toward

Parish and library officials say the library's decision to seek a reduction in the rate is independent of the discussions to use the leftover millage for roads at some future date. Ideas about using that taxing capacity for infrastructure are in the discussion stage.

Traffic has been a chronic complaint in Ascension for more than two decades. The parish's top-ranked schools and booming industrial sector have allowed Ascension to flourish into a Baton Rouge suburb. The parish population has grown by 65% between 2000 and 2019, hitting an estimated 126,604 people in July 2019, census data show.

Parish government has adopted road impact fees, created special new taxing districts for maintenance of new neighborhood roads, and established the nearly $70 million Move Ascension road program to match local dollars with state and federal resources for smaller-scale capacity upgrades.

But the parish only has a two-thirds of a half-cent sales tax dedicated to road construction. Approved by voters in 1994, the sales tax generates around $8 million per year, which officials say isn't enough to finance major capacity road projects.

Councilman Aaron Lawler, who followed Loar in representing one of Ascension's high-growth Prairieville districts, said he is open to using the forgonelibrary millage for roads. He would prefer, however, a new sales tax because it generates more money and, he says, is more broadly shared. But Parish President Clint Cointment opposes the idea of a new sales tax.

"Right now, we're not keeping up," said Lawler, who is the council transportation chairman. "Not just with growth, but with what has happened in the past. We need improvements."

Ascension Parish Councilman Chris Loar didnt receive a lot of plaudits for form last week from some councilmen when he suggested taking a por

Early voting for the library tax renewal starts Saturday and ends Aug. 8

Read this article:

Next on ballot: A cut in Ascension library taxes could redirect funds to more infrastructure - The Advocate

Ascension Via Christi offers tips on how to properly wear and take off a face covering – KSN-TV

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Ascension Via Christi on Tuesday demonstrated how to properly wear and take off a face covering.

Karen Bailly says there are a variety of masks out there, from cloth masks to paper masks, to disposable to reusable. The key she says is finding one that fits.

Anything that will cover your nose and your mouth really makes a good mask. Its all about the fit and how it works for your face type or style, she said. You dont want to wear it under your nose. I see that a lot when Im out and about in the public. Another mistake I see if people taking the mask and wearing it under their chin. Because it gets hot, theyre having difficulty breathing and thats another no in mask-wearing is you always want to make sure you have it tightly fitted on your nose and under your chin.

Bailey says dont touch the front of the mask because that is often the area that is most contaminated.

So when you go to put on a mask or take off a mask, you want to grab it by the ears or ear loops or grab it by the strings in the back, and be able to take it off and lay it upright on a flat surface, she added. Anytime you grab the front, youre at risk of contaminating yourself, and its best to grab it from behind, and then, as soon as you take it off, the number one rule is always handwashing.

It is recommended that you wash your cloth masks daily by hand or in a normal washer using a detergent like Tide or ERA. Dry them on high heat to kill any viruses.

LATEST STORIES:

See the original post:

Ascension Via Christi offers tips on how to properly wear and take off a face covering - KSN-TV

With new disturbance in Gulf of Mexico, pumps to kick on again in Ascension – The Advocate

Ascension Parish plans to begin drawing down water levels in some bayous and other waterways on the parish's east bank Wednesday morning in preparation for a tropical wave expected to enter the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Parish public works officials said Tuesday the access gates at the Marvin J. Braud Pumping Station in the McElroy Swamp will be closed 8 a.m. Wednesday so pumping can begin.

Parish officials use the pumps to lower water levels before storms hit to build in storage capacity for heavy rainfall and mitigate potential flooding.

In a statement Tuesday, the National Weather Service office in Slidell said that the tropical wave headed into the Gulf has a40% chance of developing into a tropical system in the next five days.

"Regardless, an enhancement of rain and storm coverage can be expected late-week along with above-normal tides," the statement adds.

Ascension Parish's regional pump station continued operations on Friday as more thunderstorms are expected through the weekend after heavy rai

The seven pumps at the Marvin Braud station send storm water into the Blind River swamp to the south and east. Officials and residents in next-door Livingston and St. James parishes have often complained the station can worsen their flooding.

The station went back up to full capacity earlier this month after the parish completed a three-month refurbishment of one of the station's original five pumps.

When open, the pump station's gate serves as a boating access way along the New River Canal. When closed, the gate helps somewhat seal off the St. Amant and Gonzales areas and eastern Sorrento from tidal influences and storm surge in Lake Maurepas that can flood lower eastern Ascension.

Once the gate is closed, parish officials then turn on the big station's pumps to drain waterways in the watersheds of Bayou Goudine, Bayou Francois and the New River Canal that are inside the parish's flood protection system and include Gonzales, part of Prairieville, St. Amant and part of Sorrento.

The station's pumps, which sit at the confluence of the New River and Saveiro canals, largely don't affect waterways in the Prairieville, Galvez, Lake, Burnside and Darrow areas, all of which rely more on natural drainage.

Thunderstorms popping up near each other and tracking back to join previously formed storms in Ascension and East Baton Rouge parishes Monday

Parish officials said crews will also turn on the pumps near the town of Sorrento and at Henderson Bayou as needed, but those stations don't easily allow for proactive pumping efforts as the Marvin Braud station does.

The Sorrento pumping station doesn't move water downstream, as the Marvin Braud pumps do, but handles localized storm water runoff in town that is collected in a man-made reservoir. The pumps move water from the reservoir to Conway Bayou.

In the Henderson Bayou watershed in northeastern Ascension, the parish has a floodgate designed to halt backwater from moving upstream in the bayou from the Amite River. A pumping station also at that gate is designed to be used only when the floodgate is closed and water levels inside the protection system have risen due to rain.

Parish officials urged residents to monitor updates on the Ascension Parish and Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Facebook pages. Residents may also sign up for emergency bulletins using the Ascension Parish Community Alerting System, Everbridge, by going online to http://www.AscensionParish.net.

Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Excerpt from:

With new disturbance in Gulf of Mexico, pumps to kick on again in Ascension - The Advocate

The Speedy ascension of Mark ‘The Young’ Pope – The Daily Universe – Universe.byu.edu

In just one season as head coach, Mark Pope has proven himself as the best thing to happen to BYU Basketball since Jimmer Fredette

By Nate Schwartz

It didnt take long for Mark Pope to seal his name in the annals of BYU Basketball history.

In his debut season as head coach, the man who Fox Sports Tate Frazier refers to as Young Pope led the Cougars on a 24-8 campaign that, if not for the novel coronavirus, would have culminated with BYUs 30th-ever March Madness appearance.

By elevating the Cougars to their first AP Top 25 ranking since Jimmermania in 2011, Pope accomplished something that BYU fans have been waiting on for nearly a decade: he ushered the team back into college basketball relevance.

Pope, however, doesnt see himself as the impetus behind the Cougars sudden resurgence. He directs all the praise to the team he inherited, which included four returning starters.

They were so hungry and willing to set it all aside, Pope said in an interview on the Titus & Tate podcast in April. Nobody really sets aside their personal agenda, but what our guys were willing to do was try as hard as they could to trust the game. If they gave themselves to the game, then the game was going to pay them back double than their own agenda.

Of course, the players redirected that praise right back at their coach.

Hes brought so much to this program, but he just has so much energy and he works so hard. You never really see him taking days off or taking time off, starting guard TJ Haws told The Salt Lake Tribune in February. Hes always up in his office. Hes always working. Hes always trying to figure out what to do next and that kind of energy is contagious to all of our guys.

In addition to earning his players respect through his work ethic, Pope also managed to win over the hearts of the Cougar fan base with his enthusiasm. After BYUs surprising 91-78 victory over No. 2 Gonzaga in February, the coach invited fans to celebrate with him at a local eatery where he picked up a $1,800 tab.

Some may chalk up Popes impressive first year to beginners luck, and he could be in danger of a one-hit-wonder label if the 2021 season doesnt mirror success in 2020. While only the future can truly reveal Popes legacy as a coach, a closer look at his recent track record before BYU shows this might not be a fluke.

During his four years as head coach at Utah Valley University, Pope led the Wolverines to a 17-win season in 2017, a 23-win season in 2018, and a program-best 25-win season in 2019 before signing with BYU the following April. Pope isnt lucky, hes methodical.

Under Popes offense, BYUs three-point percentage jumped from 33.0% in 2019 (240th overall) to 42.3% in 2020 (first overall) notwithstanding that this year the three-point line was pushed back from 20 feet, 9 inches to 22 feet, 1 inches. At the seasons close, BYUs offense ranked third overall in efficiency according to teamrankings.com.

Popes scheming doesnt stop at the chalkboard either, as some of his most notable successes have occurred during the offseason. He has quickly built a reputation as a fierce recruiter.

In May, he landed Purdues star center Matt Haarms, a player who was being pursued by both Kentucky and Texas Tech. BYU was also in the conversation to pick up Georgetowns firecracker guard Mac McClung, who ultimately signed with Texas Tech. Before Pope, BYU was not known as a destination for high-profile transfers, but this offseason is showing signs that players are starting to see the program in a new light.

Theres a clear reason why Pope was a finalist for the 2020 Naismith Mens Coach of the Year Award and was labeled CBS Sports No.1 Most Rewarding New Hire, the first wave of what will surely amount to many accolades during his (hopefully) lengthy tenure at Brigham Young University. As a BYU student (probably) once said, Long live the Young Pope.

Nate Schwartz is a guest contributor for the Daily Universe. He is a BYU alumnus and recent graduate of the masters of journalism program at Northwestern University.

Read more:

The Speedy ascension of Mark 'The Young' Pope - The Daily Universe - Universe.byu.edu

Around 3,800 new cases reported this weekend as hospitalizations fall – WBRZ

CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE BREAKING NEWS REPORTS

WEEKEND UPDATE: Just more than 3,800 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Louisiana this weekend, bringing the total cases since March to 107,574. Hospitalizations dropped to 1,557 and patients on ventilators also went down to 184. Forty-eight people died from virus-related complications this weekend, increasing the death toll to 3,651. The data updated Sunday is from both Saturday and Sunday as the state no longer updates virus information on Saturdays. The next update is at noon Monday.

Data released Sunday is made up of information from Saturday and Sunday. The state will no longer update virus information on Saturdays.

The below map is provided by the state and is updated at noon daily; Cases released by hospitals or local governments during the day are not reported in the map until the next reporting deadline.

The tabs at the bottom of the map can be used to navigate limited information about the patients, including age groups.

Cumulative case counts by parish, as of Sunday (7/26):

Ascension: 2,249 cases / 65 deaths

Assumption: 493 cases / 18 deaths

East Baton Rouge: 9,636cases / 306 deaths

East Feliciana: 458cases / 35 deaths

Iberville: 1,026cases / 46 deaths

Livingston: 2,298 cases / 47 deaths

Pointe Coupee: 623cases / 29 deaths

St. Helena: 214cases / 1 death

St. James: 582cases / 30 deaths

Tangipahoa: 2,777cases / 56 deaths

West Baton Rouge: 545cases / 33 deaths

West Feliciana: 319cases / 15 deaths

The state has launched a hotline to answer the public's questions about the virus. Anyone looking to use the service can dial 2-1-1 to be connected to the network. Written answers can be answered online at http://www.la211help.org.

Click here for more information from the CDC and LDH

Go here to see the original:

Around 3,800 new cases reported this weekend as hospitalizations fall - WBRZ

Ascension Parish not making pre-k and head start students wear masks, social distance – BRProud.com

Whether or not parents will send children to school in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic has been a very controversial topic. Martika Jordan says sending her daughter wasnt an easy decision.

I wasnt going to [send her to pre-k] but I feel like I would be taking away from her childhood if I dont try to send her into some type of school atmosphere, Jordan said.

According to Ascension Parish Public School guidelines, under phase two teachers are required to wear a mask but kids in pre-k arent and they dont have to social distance. Teachers must comfort or hold children when they get upset but are encouraged to protect themselves by washing their hands, wearing protective clothing and more.

Jordan says in order to protect her daughters teachers, here daughter will wear a mask while in school even though it isnt required.

If it means saving a life she will use it, jordan said. She has two different ones, she has a lady bug and frozen and she loves it.

Other parents like kelsey small say they wont be making their child wear a mask.

I do believe the whole covid thing is blown out of proportion a little bit, Small said.

As for teachers, Small says she doesnt believe wearing a mask is necessary for all.

I think if the teachers are in good health then I think they shouldnt need a mask and if they are in any way high risk for the disease then they should be relieved of their job, Small said.

Both mothers agree this may not be the easiest transition for their children but theyre hoping its one that keeps them happy and safe.

Ascension Parish schools begin on August 10.

See the original post here:

Ascension Parish not making pre-k and head start students wear masks, social distance - BRProud.com

Around Ascension for July 22, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com – The Advocate

Ascension library closes after staffs test positive for coronavirus

After several staff members of the Ascension Parish Library System tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the library system has decided to temporarily close all of its locations.

A library news release said the decision "was made for the health and safety of both our staff and patrons."

Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Curbside services, however, will continue and the book drops will remain open. No late fees will be issued during this time. The library is offering technology room access, including technology room access and reference help for one-hour appointments only, which can be made by calling to reserve a time slot.

Anyone entering the library must wear a mask.

For those without a library card, you can sign up for an eCard on the library's website at https://bit.ly/eCardSignUpAPL.

For more information, call library director Jennifer Patterson during operating hours at (225) 647-3955; visit http://www.myAPL.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@myAPLibrary).

Ascension Parish Clerk of Court Bridget Hanna has announced the dates for qualifying as a candidate for the Nov. 3 election. Qualifying will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.July 22-24 at the Clerks Office, 815 E. Worthey St., Gonzales, or 300 Houmas St., Donaldsonville.

Qualifying will be held for the following offices: 23rd Judicial District judges; 23rd Judicial district attorney; justices of the peace; constables; Donaldsonville Council members and mayor; and Gonzales mayor, chief of police and council members.

For information, call the Clerks Office at (225) 473-9866 or (225) 621-8400, ext. 223.

As part of efforts to fight litter and clean up Ascension Parish, President Clint Cointment announced that Ascension Parish is accepting white goods at the Recycling Center on Churchpoint Road.

We have contracted with a company to haul away scrap metal from our recycling center, Cointment said. And they pay us for the metal they take.

White goods are any large machines used in routine housekeeping, such as cooking, food preservation, or cleaning, whether in a household, institutional, commercial or industrial setting. White goods include refrigerators, freezers, stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers and water heaters.

Cointment said the parish has been accepting scrap metal and has a separate bin specifically designated for metals.

The Recycling Center is at the DPW headquarters, 42077 Churchpoint Road in Gonzales. Operating hours are Monday to Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The rest is here:

Around Ascension for July 22, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com - The Advocate

Does the bus stand a chance in the era of COVID-19? Experts say yes – Detroit Free Press

It's important to keep your car clean from bacteria. Here's what solutions you should use. USA TODAY

C. Mikel Oglesby doesnt think the end is nigh for public transportation.

Dire predictions have swirled about transits future as COVID-19 has upended the economy and kept commuters at home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested riding in a car alone is preferable to both ride sharing and public transportation, and ridership in general is down dramatically in many cities.

Its been about two months since Oglesby took the reins as Detroits executive director of transit, and its been an unprecedented period. Nothing in his 20 years in transit, he said last week,prepared him for a pandemic, but he said the Detroit Department of Transportation is working to meet the challenge.

Public transportation does have a future, Oglesby said, because of simple economics. New cars are expensive.

Residents exit and board the DDOT bus in front of Ascension St. John Hospital on Moross Road in Detroit on July 10, 2020. Fare collection has been temporarily suspended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect essential bus drivers. Detroit Department of Transportation also provides surgical masks to all riders.(Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)

Kelley Blue Book highlighted the affordability dilemma when it noted that the estimated average transaction price for a light vehicle in the United States last month was $38,530, up 3.1% from a year prior and 0.4% from May. This is also a time of high unemployment 11% in June and economic uncertainty.

A lot of people arent making a lot of money and you know they can take what they can afford. Hey, let me get on this bus, Oglesby said during a Transportation Riders United webinar, describing what a potential rider might say. All of a sudden they realize this isnt too bad. I should have been doing this a long time ago, and then boom you have a rider. We may lose some riders but gain others.

More: Retired DDOT union President Fred Westbrook Jr. dies of coronavirus

More: Detroit official to frustrated bus drivers: Sorry, but hazard pay will come a week late

Thats a rosy vision in a period of grim news. The developers of the popular Transit app, which helps transit users navigate their public transportation journeys, said on Thursday that transit demand was down 53% below normal. Demand was down in cities across the country. The San Francisco Bay Area, for example, was down a stunning 79% on Thursday. By comparison, Detroit saw a less dramatic but still significant decline in demand of 37% on the same day.

Theres no question the picture for transit and much else has changed from just a few months ago.

Downtowns like Detroits, which had seen dramatic, resurgent interest in recent years, are suddenly not the place to be, as many office workers explore what it means to truly telecommute, professional sports and artistic performances remain on hold, bars in this part of Michigan are closed and restaurants operate at partial capacity. That shift is clear in how Detroits transit systems have reacted, scaling back service even as they change how they handle the routes that they are maintaining, at least for now, withrear boarding, no fare collections and new bus cleaning protocols.

C. Mikel Oglesby.(Photo: City of Detroit)

And Detroits suburban bus system, SMART, has stopped its commuter routes, meaning that aside from three limited-stop, express routes on Woodward, Gratiot and Michigan, and an advance reservation service, Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation buses are not runningdowntown.

Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United, said people who have a choice will be slow to return to using transit and that some will be looking to work from home more. But right now, much remains unknown.

How fast transit is going to come back, there isnt a lot of data around that, she said.

Those with higher incomes havemore choices, and their future usage of public transportation is most in question.

Transit found in its data that more of those continuing to use public transportation in the pandemic are women, people of color, those with lower incomes and people who have been deemed essential workers.

An older woman waits for the bus in front of Ascension St. John Hospital on Moross Road in Detroit on July 10, 2020. Fare collection has been temporarily suspended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect essential bus drivers. Detroit Department of Transportation also provides surgical masks to all riders.(Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)

A lot of bus riders are essential workers that cant work from home, Owens said. Theres no doubt that transit ... will continue to be essential for those essential workers who are low income and dont have other choices and honestly may become more important as this economic crisis continues.

Owens also noted the pandemic has challenged the idea pushed by some transit opponents that ride sharing can replace public transportation. If there are fewer drivers available, service drops and prices rise. Scooters offer another example, Owens said, as many have been pulled off city streets in recent months.

In June, Rob Alberts, the executive director of the North American International Auto Show and the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, described to a virtual crowd during an Automotive Press Association event a new era for vehicle ownership following earlier predictions that it might disappear. Alberts said he doesnt envision ride sharing and crowded public transportation replacing personal mobility any time soon.

Because of what were going through in this pandemic, the pendulum is swinging back to owning and leasing vehicles. Just a few months ago ridesharing was being touted as the end all. It was only a year ago that an editorial in the New York Times said owning a car will soon be as quaint as owning a horse. The article went on to say that owning a car would be a hobby, a cool thing to take out for a spin on a weekend. Sometimes it takes something like what were going through to rekindle a love affair with what we have.

What were going through, the pandemic, is what prompted Kirk Sellke to cancel a planned trip to Colorado this summer. Instead, Sellke, his wife and their three children will be heading to northern lower Michigan from their home in Bloomfield Hills in August. Theylltravelto Colorado hopefully next year. Instead of flying, which was how Sellke planned to get there, Sellke now expects to drive.

Sellke, 45, is no transit opponent. When he lived and worked in Chicago early in his career, he regularly took the L, and he said he wouldnt be hesitant to get on a train or bus now. He reasons that he and his family are healthy and dont have compromised immune systems, and they take what precautions they can. He kept a car when he lived in Chicago, despite the hassles of parking and traffic congestion, because hed visit his parents in the suburbs, and it was simply faster to drive.

Kirk Sellke of Bloomfield Hills poses with his new Chevrolet Suburban and Silverado. Sellkes reaction to the pandemic was to opt for a larger vehicle when he traded in a Chevrolet Traverse for the Suburban in June.(Photo: Karen Sellke)

Rather than affecting his choices on transit, pandemic considerations affected something else for Sellke, who works for a cyber security firm.He signed a lease in June at Matick Chevrolet in Redfordfor a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban, trading in a Chevy Traverse, and a payment of about $757 per month.

Weve made a conscious choice to get a larger vehicle, so we have the opportunities to take family road trips. The pandemic kind of motivated that, Sellke said.

The Sellke family chose a larger vehicle in response to the pandemic, but they arent the only vehicle shoppers who have been influenced by the pandemic.

This is clearly on peoples minds, said Jenni Newman, editor in chief of Cars.com, which conducted a survey related to the pandemics impact on transportation choices and preferences. There are a lot of people looking for cars.

She noted that visits to the site were up 10% week over week in June.

The survey found that 67% of respondents 516 people accessing Cars.com in early June were randomly selected said the pandemic had increased their reliance on or need for a personal vehicle. That came, even as 70% said theyd experienced a reduction in commuting for work. Fourteen percent said their normal work commute had been permanently changed.

Deanne Austin hasnt taken the bus in months, not since a DDOT shutdown over driver concerns. The 34-year-old academic interventionist working at a Detroit Public Schools high school was panicky, worrying about how she would get food and cat litter. It was stressful for the Detroit resident and transit advocate.

But Austin, who has never had a car, relying on family when she needs to, also had other worries about the virus because she has asthma.

So shes stayed off the bus, and she doesnt know when shell return.

Its the COVID disclaimer. I would be foolish to say everything will be back to normal. I definitely believe Ill be back on the bus, but it might be a bit later, Austin said. I always look to the guidelines. I do have to take health into consideration.

When she does return, Austin said shell look for routes with fewer transfers and once again blend a reliance on Uber and Lyft with public transportation. Those private services, however, are not cheap, and theyve become less so, she said, since the pandemic.

Ride share is expensive, and Im not a millionaire, she said.

Part of the reason rideshare has been in Austins life has been the state of the citys public transportation system, which, she said,had seen recent improvements but still left much to be desired for people who rely on it. Despite its nickname as the Motor City, Detroit has many households without vehicles, so Austins transportation choices arent unusual.

Kevin Watkins has been a bus driver for almost a quarter of a century, and recent months have tested his resolve.

I have like 24 years and 9 months and some days I feel like I can continue. Some days with this COVID-19 I feel like calling it quits, he said.

Detroit Department of Transportation bus driver Kevin Watkins, 54, of Harper Woods will have worked at DDOT for 25 years in August and says drivers are worried about their safety and health. Watkins is seen in the reflection on the windshield of his bus while making a stop at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit on July 10, 2020.(Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)

Because of social distancing requirements, Watkins, 54, of Harper Woods has to pass up people who want to ride his bus. It makes it bad for the drivers and bad for those who have to wait longer. With much of the city opening back up, people get upset.

He said the city has stepped up its efforts to protect drivers, but still falls short on hazard pay, for instance, and not making sure all riders wear masks. He noted the death of driver Jason Hargrove, who died of COVID-19. That was after awoman had been coughing on Hargrove's bus and he posted a video exposing bus driver concerns.

Recently, Watkins had a run in with a rider, a woman in her 30s, one morning near 7 Mile and Ryan.

Passengers there were about a dozen on board were complaining because the woman was sneezing and coughing. She wore a mask, but one of the quirks Watkins has seen with other mask wearers is that when they sneeze or cough, they automatically pull the mask down, exposing their mouths.

Those are typically inadvertent, but this woman was doing it deliberately. Watkins said he tried to get her to stop, even asking her to get off the bus, but she refused.

More: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sees sales plummet as full coronavirus impact hits

Watkins stopped the bus and called for help. Instead of just getting off the bus, the woman walked to the front, pulled down the chain thats now used to separate the drivers area from the rest of the passengers DDOT and SMART are working to equip buses with sneeze guards and wiped her hands on the steering wheel and other areas before leaving.

It was a troubling situation, but Watkins saidmask wearing on buses has remainedoptional even if the department has beendistributing masks to riders.

It doesnt make sense to have social distancing on the coach if you dont require (riders) to wear masks, Watkins said.

Detroit Department of Transportation bus driver Kevin Watkins, 54, of Harper Woods will have worked at DDOT for 25 years in August and says drivers are worried about their safety and health. Watkins checks on his bus while making a stop at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit on July 10, 2020.(Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)

But masks are only part of the picture. In an attempt to maintain social distancing, boardings must be limited, meaning at busy stops not everyone can get on.

Glenn Tolbert, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26, which represents DDOT drivers, said arguments will break out over those kinds of issues.

I dont want them to get in an altercation, he said of his drivers. Its a very tricky, slippery slope.

The system is also short on active drivers, many of whom are out because of COVID-19. That puts even more pressure on the system, which cant staff all of its runs.

Maybe by the end of the summer well be up to full capacity, Tolbert said.

Despite the issues, Tolbert said riders have been out in large numbers.

The citys back awake and alive, and people are back out, he said. We havent lost many riders, no not at all.

And since the system is not taking fares for the foreseeable future Its hard to open that fare box and still keep the workers safe plenty of people, including those who are homeless, are riding the bus, Tolbert said.

Looking beyond the pandemic, Tolbert said he sees a robust future for public transportation.

Everybodys not going to have a car. Everybody cant afford a car. Everybody cant maintain a car, Tolbert said. Public transportations a great way to get around if you make people feel safe and its clean and you can depend on it.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence. Phoebe Wall Howard contributed to this report.

Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2020/07/20/coronavirus-bus-public-transportation-ddot-michigan/5422173002/

Link:

Does the bus stand a chance in the era of COVID-19? Experts say yes - Detroit Free Press