GONZALESScotlandville spread the ball around like it was handing out late Christmas gifts Monday night at East Ascension.

The Hornets dished out 25 assists as they overcame an early deficit and overwhelmed the Spartans 80-60 in non-district action.

East Ascension (5-6) came ready to play. The Spartans made their first three shots, and quickly took a 7-0 lead, but Scotlandville (11-3) came charging back.

In the first half, every pass the Hornets made seemed to be the right one. They made 16 of 20 shots in the first half with 14 of the baskets coming off an assist. Scotlandvilles lead was 50-30 at halftime, and East Ascension got no closer than 15 points in the second half.

Weve been talking about our defense carrying us, but offensively we were in a rhythm tonight, Scotlandville coach Carlos Sample said. One thing that really impressed me was that we shared the basketball.

We did a real good job of sharing the ball and not just getting shots, but getting good shots.

For the game, Scotlandville finished at 67% from the field (28 for 42) and made 8 of 16 from 3-point range.

Zaheem Jackson made four 3-pointers and totaled 26 points. Also hitting double figures were Emareyon McDonald (24 points) and Cody Fleming (14 points).

East Ascension picked up its shooting in the second half, but the closest it could get was at 75-60 after a 10-2 run late in the game.

The Spartans, who made 25 of 50 shots, got big games from Keith Thomas (25 points) and Troy Dunn (19 points).

Theres an old school adage, Youve got to make more baskets than the other team, and thats what the heck they did tonight, East Ascension coach Tyler Turner said. Every time they shot the ball it went in. Theyre not the No. 1 team in the state for no reason. Theyre well-coached and made the baskets they needed to make.

We played hard and didnt quit. Our kids kept playing and kept fighting.

In the first quarter, Dunn hit a 3-pointer and Thomas added a pair of baskets as East Ascension took a 7-0 lead before Scotlandville got off its first shot. It did not take Scotlandville long to rally.

Cody Flemings 3-pointer tied the game at 10 and started a 16-0 run for the Hornets. Scotlandville made six free throws during the run and led 25-13 CZavian Teasett fed Jackson for a basket.

In the second quarter, Scotlandville made all nine of its shots from the field, a hot streak that included four 3-pointers. Early in the quarter, East Ascension trailed 29-15 before scoring on four consecutive possessions. It didnt matter as Scotlandville did the same to maintain a 14-point lead.

With time running out in the half, John Hubbard drove the baseline before kicking the ball out to Jackson, whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer capped a 16-5 Scotlandville run to close out the first half.

Read more:

Scotlandville's passing sparks win over East Ascension | High School Sports - The Advocate

Jeff Weinell has always been fascinated with snakes the way they can live all over the world, from deserts to rainforests and even his familys backyard in Gonzales.

When Weinell, 30, graduated from East Ascension High School in 2009, his fascination was just a hobby as he started school at LSU, studying engineering for a time.

Ten years later, Weinell, a graduate research assistant at the University of Kansas' Biodiversity Institute, is responsible for the worlds most recent discovery of a new species of snake one that lives in the Philippines.

Weinell says he was able to take a hobby and "turn it in to something I do all the time.

Levitonius mirus, or the Waray dwarf burrowing snake, is native to the Samar and Leyte islands in the Philippines and only grows to be just over a half-foot long, according to the study published by Weinell and three of his colleagues in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Weinell discovered the snake by accident.

This was totally unplanned, as far as I wasnt going to look for a new species at all, Weinell said. I was hoping to work on a different project, looking at the evolutionary relationships among this group of snakes called Pseudorabdion. It looks superficially similar to this new snake, so it would have been easy for someone to misidentify that. While I was working on that, I found this one.

While running a DNA sequence on a sample of what he thought was a Pseudorabdion in 2017, Weinell realized the DNA did not match the species he thought he was studying. Further analysis of the sample revealed that three specimens stored at the institutes biodiversity collection, gathered on missions between 2006 and 2012, were an entirely new species.

After years of gathering data on the new snake, Weinell and his colleagues published their findings.

The snakes Latin name, Levitonius mirus, was coined by Weinell partially after a mentor, California Academy of Sciences researcher Alan Leviton, who has spent decades studying snakes in the Philippines. The snake is even part of a new genus, or a taxonomic classification that species are grouped under, that was named after Leviton.

The second part of the scientific name, mirus, translates from Latin to marvelous.

There are a lot of cases where specimens are misidentified, and sometimes its going to be another species from the area thats already been described and someone just misidentified it. Other times, it turns out to be something really different, like in this case, Weinell said.

The specimens in the institute's biodiversity collection are the only known ones ever found, Weinell said, something he unsuccessfully tried to rectify in 2017 when he traveled to the Philippines to find more of the species.

Weinell is now planning a trip back to the country in the fall in hopes of trapping a living specimen of the new snake.

Weinell wont complete his doctoral degree at Kansas until 2022, but he said he could see himself focusing his career on studying the evolution of life in the Philippines.

Theres a lot to discover, he said. The Philippines, it being an island archipelago, really lends itself to studying evolution. Each island is basically a replicate experiment of evolution.

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Gonzales native discovers new species of snake native to the Philippines - The Advocate

Dr. ORell Williams works as a physician and serves as vice president of medical affairs at Ascension St. Joseph on Milwaukees north side. As a former Milwaukee firefighter and physician he uses his skills, courage and compassion to improve the health of the

Dr. ORell Williams works as a physician and serves as vice president of medical affairs at Ascension St. Joseph on Milwaukees north side. As a former Milwaukee firefighter and physician he uses his skills, courage and compassion to improve the health of the community.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit early and hard, Williams became increasingly concerned about the disproportionate number of minority patients battling the virus.

He quickly jumped in using his voice and his role in the community to dispel disinformation and educate the community that COVID-19 was real and serious.

He took the time to brief faith leaders in the community about the disease, and met with elected officials to help them make informed decisions and taught people how to protect themselves and prevent its spread.

He took advantage of opportunities to reach people where they live, build deeper connections and instill confidence in his message, said Reggie Newson, vice president of government and community services and chief advocacy officer, Ascension Wisconsin.

Williams also serves as clinical management section chief for Ascension Wisconsin, a position he has held since the beginning of the pandemic. In this role Williams mobilized more than 1,000 physicians across the state to be able to help patients where the need was greatest.

He oversaw the implementation of advanced telehealth technology across Wisconsin which expanded access to care and allowed Ascension providers to virtually offer consultative support to needed areas.

He also continues to see patients two days a week providing much needed access to primary care.

Link:

Notable Heroes in Health Care: ORell Williams - BizTimes - Milwaukee Business News

Last updated on December 16th, 2020 at 09:15 am

Maternal morbidity rates have dramatically increased over the past 20 years, with significant disparities for women of color, uninsured or underinsured women and women living in lower socioeconomic areas.

Prenatal care is a key determinant in maternal morbidity and infant mortality. In late 2019, Ascension St. Joseph in Milwaukee established the Ascension Maternal Health Initiative to help understand why women missed prenatal appointments and help them overcome any barriers they may experience.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit which only exacerbated the problems that already existed.

The team quickly shifted their focus and continued to care for their patients by routinely calling them, even providing care for them in their homes. They brought supplies like food, diapers and cleaning supplies with them.

The pandemic made getting to appointments even more difficult and some patients were scared to leave their homes, said Dr. Matt Lee, medical director, Women and Families at Ascension Wisconsin. The maternal health team responded quickly.

Jequeta Hamm credits the team with saving her life. She was pregnant and living with lupus which put her in a high-risk category for COVID-19.

The team consistently checked on her throughout her pregnancy and after she gave birth. They drove to her house to check her blood pressure after discovering she wasnt feeling well. With her blood pressure very high they got her to Ascension St. Joseph where she spent four days getting her blood pressure and her cardiomyopathy under control before returning home to her baby.

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Notable Heroes in Health Care: Maternal Health Initiative - BizTimes - Milwaukee Business News

Its a good day when you can bring some of Michigans Best food to deserving people, with the help of incredible sponsors in order to help feed the front lines. That is just what happened on Monday December 14, as MLive partnered with businesses to bring meals to hard working health care workers around Michigan.

One of our sponsors, Womans Life Insurance Society, was happy to help this effort to acknowledge the work that our front line medical workers are doing every day. Womans Life Insurance Society greatly appreciates the dedicated healthcare workers at McLaren Port Huron and everything they are doing to help keep our community strong and healthy during these especially challenging times, said Karen Deschaine, manager of communications for Womans Life. We are inspired by their strength and grateful to have this opportunity to express our gratitude.

Our generous sponsors for this initiative were:

Womans Life Insurance Society-Port Huron

The Iles Schropp Group at Merrill Lynch-Saginaw

Rotary Club of Saginaw-Saginaw

Community Foundation of Greater Flint-Flint

As Rotarians we take great pride in playing a small part in honoring and supporting our frontline heroes, said the Rotary Club of Saginaw via an email. They collaborated with two other local clubs, the Rotary Club of Saginaw Valley and the Rotary Club of Saginaw Sunrise to sponsor meals. Getting involved with this great initiative, not only allowed us to support health care, but at the same time, also support the small business meal provider, Sombreros Mexican Restaurant, owned by Sunrise Rotarian Joseph Stricker. Thank you to our health care super heroes, Saginaw Rotarians salute you.

Thank you again so much for this opportunity, said Stricker. You have no idea how much it means to me.

Another sponsor, The Iles Schropp Group at Merrill Lynch in Saginaw, also expressed how happy they were to have the opportunity to be able to give back to the Saginaw community.

This is the fourth time that MLive has worked on feeding the frontlines together with our sponsors. In May, over 2,000 meals were provided for National Nurses Day, and throughout July, health care workers in Detroit and Grand Rapids were fed with the help of Founders Brewing Company. We also did a special Thanksgiving meal drop off in November.

A hearty thank you to all of our sponsors who have made it possible not just to provide a hot meal to our front line health care workers, but to also provide some much needed business to some of our locally owned restaurants. If you can, consider ordering take-out from your favorite spot, and support these places that are struggling to stay open.

Our participating restaurants for this round of Feeding the Frontlines were:

Caseys Pizza and Subs-Port Huron

That Guys BBQ-Bay City

Sombreros Mexican Restaurant-Saginaw

Hoffmans Deco Deli & Cafe-Flint

That Guys BBQ owner Greg Buzzard delivered some of his award winning barbecue to Ascension St. Marys in Saginaw today thanks to sponsorship from The Iles Schropp Group. Thank you so much for your continued support, because without you there is no us, he said. A reminder that we are all in this together, even when we are apart.

This was one of those win-win-win scenarios that we couldnt be more excited about, said Jamie Dionne, vice president of sales at MLive Media Group. Michigans Best and our amazing partners have been looking for ways to pay it forward to the front line healthcare workers in our state, and Michigans Best cares deeply about our local community restaurants. This project married both of those things together in a way that serves our business partners, our community restaurants and our healthcare heroes.

You can see some of the photos below from todays deliveries.

Thank you to the Iles Schropp Group at Merrill Lynch in Saginaw for sponsoring Feeding the Frontlines.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Smoked chicken and beans from That Guys BBQ was delivered to Ascension St. Mary's in Saginaw thanks to sponsorship from The Iles Schropp Group at Merrill. Lynch.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Health care workers at Covenant in Saginaw enjoyed lunch delivered by Sombreros Mexican Restaurant, sponsored by the Saginaw Rotary Club.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Health care workers at Covenant in Saginaw enjoyed lunch delivered by Sombreros Mexican Restaurant, sponsored by the Saginaw Rotary Club.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Chickens smoking on the grill by That Guys BBQ. They got delivered for lunch on December 14 to Ascension St. Mary's in Saginaw.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Lunch from Casey's in Port Huron getting ready to be delivered to McLaren Port Huron on December 14. This delivery was sponsored by the Woman's Life Society.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Sombreros Mexican Restaurant delivered some of Michigan's Best food to Covenant hospital on December 14, as part of MLive's Feeding the Frontlines initiative. Special thanks to the Saginaw Rotary Club.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Woman's Life Society Insurance sponsored meals today from Casey's Pizza and Subs. The meals were delivered to McLaren Port Huron.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Cake from Sombreros Mexican Restaurant in Saginaw was delivered on December 14 for MLive's Feeding the Frontlines.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Casey's Pizza and Subs in Port Huron provided lunch on December 14 for our Feeding the Frontlines initiative.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Sombreros Mexican Restaurant owner Joseph Stricker, shown, and his team of chefs made and delivered lunch on December 14 for MLive's Feeding the Frontlines. He was sponsored by the Saginaw Rotary Club, of which he is also a member.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Hurley Hospital in Flint received lunch on December 14 from Hoffman's Deco Deli. They were sponsored by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

A delivery being made to Covenant Hospital in Saginaw, made possible by the sponsorship of the Saginaw Rotary Club.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Another delivery made to Covenant in Saginaw by Sombreros Mexican Restaurant. Thanks to the Saginaw Rotary for sponsoring Feeding the Frontlines.Courtesy Photo, used with permission.

Excerpt from:

Feeding the Front Lines: See behind the scenes on a day of giving - MLive.com

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

WWE Raw Hits

The Drew McIntyre and AJ Styles ascension ceremony: They got over the story that McIntyre could be facing Styles, Omos, The Miz, and John Morrison rather than just Styles at TLC. Its actually sad that WWE creative failed to build up Styles enough to make him feel like a credible challenger on his own, but at least they put some heat on him heading into the pay-per-view while creating a scenario where McIntyres title reign could be in jeopardy.

The Hurt Business Bobby Lashley, Cedric Alexander, and Shelton Benjamin vs. Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Jeff Hardy: The best match of the night and it filled a lot of time. Sadly, filling time is what so much of Raw feels like its about these days. Its a show written by people who are just throwing their hands up while giving their crazy old boss what he wants rather than what they know would make for better television. Its hard to blame them. The crazy old boss is going to do whatever he wants anyway, so why risk your employment by fighting for change that hell never sign off on, especially in a year where so many have been terminated or furloughed?

WWE Raw Misses

The Miz and John Morrison: WWE is in desperate need of meaningful heels, yet they continue to book Miz and Morrison as two of the biggest losers in the entire business. Worse yet, they keep putting them all over television in bad talkshow segments and main event matches. If wasnt my job, I would have turned the channel when Raw opened with the Dirt Sheet segment. Ive been higher than many on Mizs mic heel work over the years, but both men have been beaten down to the point that theres no way to take them seriously, even with Miz holding the Money in the Bank contract. Its so bad that when they beat Keith Lee in a handicap match, the broadcast team sold it as an upset. Think about that for a minute.

Bray Wyatts field trip: As a viewer who wants logic in pro wrestling, I can rationalize the Firefly Funhouse madness of the puppets as being part of Wyatts mind games. But watching even the childlike R-Truth and Riddle characters interact with the puppets while backstage at Raw was about as corny as it gets. The hide and seek game between Wyatt and Randy Orton had potential, but it ultimately felt formula. You had to know exactly what was going to happen once Orton shoved Wyatt into the create. Orton setting the create on fire wasnt enough to distract from just how predictable The Fiends latest appearance was.

AJ Styles vs. Sheamus: A decent match that overstayed its welcome and probably should not have been booked in the first place. Styles needed a clean and decisive win over someone heading into TLC, but WWE is trying to build up Sheamus for an eventual program with Drew McIntyre. As such, Styles had to work a more competitive match that didnt help either man. If theres some type of an agreement between the McIntyre and Sheamus characters that they want to go it alone during their matches, then it really needs to be emphasized every week, because McIntyre looks like an asshole for continuing to allow his buddy to be outnumbered.

Nia Jax vs. Lana: For a monster heel tag team, Jax and Shayna Baszler sure do lose a lot. I guess this was Lanas moment since they pulled her from the tag team match at TLC. The company booked her to take nine bumps through the broadcast table only to pull her from the match on the go-home show. Strange.

Shayna Baszler vs. Dana Brooke: Badass Baszler needed Jax to interfere to save her from Dana Fn Brooke. Enough said.

Ricochet vs. Mace: Ricochet got out of his numbers disadvantage feud with The Hurt Business to enter a numbers disadvantage feud with Retribution. WWE continues to waste Ricochet on the main roster, and they stubbornly move forward with the terrible Retribution faction. Retribution initially vowed to destroy WWE. Now their only purpose seems to be feuding with someone their leader wants to join the faction. Its awful. Give it up already.

Riddle: Riddles match with MVP went the way that it needed to with Riddle going over strong. The problem is that the main roster Riddle character is insufferable. Do we really need a second R-Truth character on the same brand?

Elias and Jaxson Ryker: Do they really think that they can heat up the tired Elias act by adding Ryker to his act? I guess I should at least applaud the recognition that Eliass act needed something new. The Elias character was tired before he took time away due to injury. Rather than use that time to retool the character, he came back doing the same part-time musician schtick. Sure, eager live crowds will chant along with his catchphrases once things get back to normal, but the act is ice cold if you suffer through the Raw television show every week.

Originally posted here:

Powell's WWE Raw Hit List: The Drew McIntyre and AJ Styles WWE Championship ascension ceremony for WWE TLC, The Hurt Business vs. Kofi Kingston,...

Ascension Parish residents can get free COVID-19 testing thanks to a partnership between Ochsner Health System and Ascension Parish government, Parish President Clint Cointment said in a news release.

Our first testing partnership with Ochsner was a huge success, with hundreds of people tested, Cointment said. I am very happy to say that Ochsner has agreed to work with us again to provide this valuable service to our people.

The free drive-through testing will be offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 16-17, Jan. 6-7 and Jan. 20-21.

There are no out-of-pocket costs for those seeking a test, and no one will be turned away based on their insurance status. Bring an ID and insurance card, if applicable.

Testing will take place under Pavilions 7 and 8 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, next to the Exhibition Hall, formerly the 4-H building. People should enter from St. Landry Road at the South gate, next to the Chapel, and proceed straight to the testing area, then exit by the same route. Signage will be on-site to direct traffic flow.

The free testing is open to everyone ages 2 years and older, and does not require a physicians permission. Testing schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions.

More:

Ascension again partners with Ochsner for free coronavirus testing - The Advocate

No one was hurt in a Thursday morning fire at Ascension Providence Hospital in Rochester Hills, though major water damage has occurred.

Firefighters from Rochester were called at about 8:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 26, for a fire on the second floor of the hospital, which was formerly called Crittenton.

Ultimately, about 40 firefighters from the Rochester Hills and Rochester fire departments as well as five other neighboring departments were at the scene.

Arriving firefighters saw smoke coming from the second floor of the building, said John Lyman, public information officer of the Rochester Hills Fire Department, in a statement.

"They found the fire to be in an area that was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday," Lyman said. "The building fire suppression sprinkler system did activate and held the fire back until firefighters could get there to extinguish the fire completely."

After deploying hoses to begin extinguishing the blaze, a second alarm was called, prompting the arrival of firefighters from Auburn Hills, Oakland Township, Troy, Bloomfield Township, and Waterford Township.

"There is major water damage throughout the second floor and the floor below," Lyman said. "The patient areas were in no danger as the fire doors closed as they should to protect the patients."

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and it will be investigated by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

Lyman said the Michigan State Fire Marshal has been notified as well.

Oakland Universitys first shipment of wearable health monitoring devices have arrived on campus and will be distributed to staff and students

While one of the buzzwords of 2020 may have been division, the concept of living through times of deep disunity in the United States is not new.

It has been two years since Brian Frosts wife, Kristine, saw a Facebook post about John Hendley, a friends fraternity brother, who was looki

The widow of an Oakland County deputy killed in the line of duty three years ago is suing the counties of Oakland, Lapeer and Genesee, four La

The Farmington Hills Firefighters Association partnered with Meijer in Northville Township to donate turkeys to 125 families to help brighten

Two Walled Lake educators have been named Teacher of the Year by the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America.

ROCHESTER HILLS >> Counting team state championships and state finals appearances was never a priority for Jason Rapp.

Excerpt from:

Fire at Ascension hospital in Rochester Hills leads to extensive damage - The Oakland Press

Southeastern Louisiana Universitys Department of Teaching and Learning has named Taylor Dunigan as the recipient of the 2020 Resident Student Teacher of the Year Award.

An early childhood education graduate and a resident of St. Amant, Dunigan received the award based on her GPA, performance assessments, disposition and overall student relationships, according to a news release.

Melanie Forstall Lemoine, coordinator of the Teacher Development Center at Southeastern, said students who are nominated for the award must provide additional information to the faculty. Nominees create an introduction video, submit their rsum, and complete several reflective writing prompts. The portfolios are evaluated by the faculty, and this year five students were nominated.

Throughout Taylors time at Southeastern, she has been named to the Presidents List multiple times. Her grades and recognition are a direct reflection of her hard work and dedication to the education program, Lemoine said. Taylor was a stand-out candidate for this award in part because of her daily commitment to becoming the best teacher she can be. She is highly reflective.

Dunigan attributes the education program to helping her become a more reflective practitioner. Something she says has had a positive impact on both her professional and personal life.

Being a reflective practitioner has benefited my students, she said. They are able to continuously receive more enhanced lessons each day.

Lemoine said Dunigan completed her yearlong teacher residency in Ascension Parish.

Follow this link:

SLU names resident student teacher of the year - The Advocate

Born of life, love, and spirituality, Ascension Of The Watchers features pioneering vocalist Burton C. Bell, John Bechdel, and Jayce Lewis. Bell's unmistakable, harmonious inventory once renowned in one of metal's finest trailblazing acts has brought life to a new concept, a genre of its own: ambient atmospheres, melodies, and introspective lyrics that shed light of Bell's visions, as seen in their purest form.

Following a decade-long journey of writing and recording, from California, Pennsylvania, New York, and Wales, the trio released their Apocrypha full-length last month via Dissonance Productions. In commemoration of the release, the band has unveiled a clip recounting its creation. The observational documentary was filmed during the making of Apocrypha, and takes viewers through the history, collaboration stories, and recording process of what became the band's second album.

Industrial gothic rockers Ascension Of The Watchers released their new album, Apocrypha, in October via Dissonance Productions.

A music video for the song "The End Is Always The Beginning" can be found below. Says Bell: "Now, more than ever, my words are a true reflection of my mind. 'The End Is Always The Beginning' is a true statement, in every aspect of life, it all depends on the individual perspective. The video was created by Victor Hugo-Borges and is another surreal snippet into Ascension Of The Watchers. The meaning is unique for every listener and viewer. There is no incorrect analysis. Take what you will from it. For me, this is the beginning of a whole new chapter, and this song validates my personal strength to truly understand what it means to move forward."

The recording is available on CD, two limited vinyl formats and through all major digital outlets. Order on CD and vinyl here,or via streaming platforms here.

Tracklisting:

Ghost HeartThe End Is Always The BeginningApocryphaA Wolf InterludeHonoreeStormcrowCygnus AeonKey To The CosmosBells Of PerditionWanderersSign Your Name

Ghost Heart video:

Ascension Of The Watchers lineup:

Burton C. Bell - vocals and guitarJohn Bechdel - keyboardsJayce Lewis - drums, backing vocals and programming

Visit link:

ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS Featuring Former FEAR FACTORY Vocalist BURTON C. BELL Debuts Apocrypha Mini-Documentary - bravewords.com

Staff Report| Gonzales Weekly Citizen

The Arc of East Ascension started giving Thanksgiving baskets from the Fellowship Center to its participants on Friday.

In celebration of the upcoming holiday, the Thanksgiving baskets included a turkey and all the trimmings for our participants in our Supported Independent living program to enjoy. The Arc of East Ascension values the gratitude and charity that encompass the holiday.

In lieu of the holiday season, The Arc of East encourages the public to extend a giving hand and support the nonprofit as they announce their participation in 225 Givess Giving Day.

Giving Dayis a 24-hour online fundraising event set to take place Tuesday. Early giving open Nov. 24.The event encourages the public to celebrate the important role that nonprofit organizations like The Arc of East Ascension play in strengthening the community.

The Arc of East Ascension is a nonprofit organization located in Gonzales, Louisiana. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families through services and advocacy that support choice, independence and dignity.

For more information about donating or 225gives contact: Sharon Morris at Sharon.morris@thearcea.org or (225) 621-2005.

More:

The Arc of East Ascension celebrates giving season - Weekly Citizen

Talk of Prince Charles soon taking over the throne has been spiraling out of control.

However, with the Prince of Wales ascension to throne, there could emerge another danger that would over the monarchy.

During a chat with Express, Sandy Blair, national director at Australian Republic Movement, said that the ascension might not be a welcomed by a number of Commonwealth nations, including Australia.

"The notion of a 'King of Australia' is as foreign to Australians as the monarchy itself. His ascension will be a shocking wake up call for Australians - many of which are completely unaware the British Monarchy has any formal role in Australia's system of government, she said.

"Australians deserve to have an Australian, chosen by Australians as the head of our nation. When Charles succeeds Queen Elizabeth II, Australians will get no say at all about him becoming the head of our country, she went on to say.

"Charles has been a divisive and controversial figure in Australia and the UK for quite some time, and his ascension will bring about an unprecedented period of instability and uncertainty for the monarchy, she added.

Read more:

Prince Charles ascension to throne could increase dangers for monarchy - The News International

High school playoffs during Thanksgiving week in Louisiana usually means it's the quarterfinals, but in the times of COVID it's just the first round. Captain Shreve head coach Bryant Sepulvado says that's fine with him.

"With everything we've gone through this year not knowing if we would have a football season, we were one of the lucky few that were able to get eight ball games in. We weren't full strength a lot of times. We had to band together as a team and just so proud of the kids to win enough ball games and have enough success to be to this point."

The Gators travel to Gonzales face East Ascension, who's one spot ahead of Shreve in the Power Ratings system. Sepulvado says one thing really stands out.

"They're huge. I mean they're big every year so I don't know what's in the water down there at EA. Haughton had them last year, Byrd had them this year so I had some film on them. Some guys we've played down south have played them and every time you turn on the film they're the biggest team on the field."

Going on the road presents it own set of challenges, but Shreve players Ckelby Givens and Williams Moore believe they can leave with a victory.

"Traveling that far going to East Ascension is going to be pretty difficult, but I think we got it."

"We're looking to make noise in the playoffs going pretty deep and making a run to the Dome."

Sepulvado: "I think our speed is going to be an advantage this game. I think in some areas we're a lot faster than they are, but they're a lot bigger than us so it's going to be a classic matchup between size and speed so if we come out and execute and play our ball game I like our chances."

See if the Gators can advance to round two in another playoff edition of the Johnny's Pizza House Friday Football Fever Scores and Highlights Show. It kicks off at 10:30 on KPXJ-CW 21.

Read more here:

Game of the Week preview: Captain Shreve @ East Ascension - KTBS

DONALDSONVILLE, La. (BRPROUD) We now know the 2020-21 Students of the Year in Ascension Parish.

Ascension Parish Public Schools released a list of winners in fifth, eighth, and twelfth grades.

The 2020-21 Students of the Year are listed below:

Primary Students

FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS OF THE YEAR

Middle Students

EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF THE YEAR

High School Students

TWELFTH GRADE STUDENTS OF THE YEAR

It is always special when we can recognize and celebrate student accomplishments! We are so fortunate to enjoy working with a sea of outstanding students throughout Ascensions schools, so being selected a Student of the Year in Ascension among so many superb students is truly a special honor and deserves loud applause, said Superintendent David Alexander. This prestigious recognition includes more than just academic accomplishments. It includes a students participation in school activities, community service, their commitment to pursuing excellence in every area of their life as well as their commitment to making life better for those around them. Congratulations to these students and their families! This will not be the last time you see their names for their accomplishments or their contribution to others.

The accomplishments of these students will be acknowledged early next year.

Read the original post:

Ascension Parish Public Schools recognizes 2020-21 Students of the Year - BRProud.com

The Arc of East Ascension is set to participate in 225 GIVES, a platform that aims to connect the public to support nonprofit organizations.

The organization recognizes the role that nonprofits play in strengthening the community, according to a news release. Giving Day is a 24-hour online fundraiser set to take place Tuesday, Dec. 1, with an early donation period open on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

The Arc of East Ascension is asking and encouraging the community to create a fundraising page on behalf of the nonprofit. A fundraising page will challenge friends, family and others to raise money for The Arc of East Ascension through an individual's page.

To create a fundraising page, visit 225gives.org and search for The Arc of East Ascension. Click on the FUNDRAISE button. The website will walk you through the additional steps. The Arc of East Ascension is hopeful that the community will help generate support for the nonprofit.

The Arc of East Ascension is a Gonzales-based nonprofit with a mission is to enhance the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families through services and advocacy that support choice, independence and dignity.

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Nonprofit encourages the community to create fundraising pages - The Advocate

GONZALESThe game started 30 minutes late because of lightning. Then 16th-seeded East Ascension created enough of a storm of its own, turning seven turnovers and some big plays into a 28-14 victory over No. 17 Captain Shreve.

I felt like we had some chances to make it a three-score game and couldnt capitalize, EAHS coach Darnell Lee said. We had a TD called back on a penalty. But our defense made plays all night and that put us in position to win.

The Spartans (5-3) intercepted Captain Shreve quarterback Ashton Martin five times and recovered two fumbles in the first-round Class 5A playoff game played Friday night at Spartan Stadium.

Martin, who returned from two weeks of COVID-19 quarantine this week, completed just 11 of 29 passes for 167 yards for the Gators (5-4). Kendrick Broussard had two of the five interceptions for EAHS, which travels to face defending Class 5A champion Acadiana (7-1), the No. 1 seed, for next weeks regional round.

Troy Dunn completed 6 of 13 passes for 154 yards and two TDs for East Ascension, which also got 76 yards on 10 carries from running back Walter Samuel.

The teams traded possessions throughout the first quarter. But a Spartan fumble on the final play of the first quarter set up the first score. The Gators took a 7-0 lead on the second play of the second quarter when Ckelby Givens scored on a 1-yard run.

EAHS countered quickly. A 46-yard run by Samuel set up a Kendall Washingtons 3-yard TD run that tied it at 7-7 with 8:48 remaining in the first half.

Captain Shreve won the battle of field position during the first period. East Ascension flipped the field and scoreboard when Rionte Jones intercepted a Martin screen pass and returned it 33 yards for a go-ahead TD 33 seconds later.

It was not a flawless first half by the Spartans, who lost three fumbles and had six turnovers on the night. But they countered the miscues with two interceptions and the biggest offensive play of the half.

Troy Dunns 60-yard TD pass to a wide open Zhavier Jupiter at the 2:14 mark gave EAHS a 21-7 halftime lead. The Gators did not go away quietly. EAHS limited running back Samtavious Smith to 70 yards rushing.

However, it was Smith who caught a 43-yard TD pass from Martin that got Captain Shreve within seven at 21-14 with 7:32 to go in the third quarter. On a night where EAHS seemed to read Martins passes well, the ball just cleared the outstretched hand a defender.

Four minutes later, Dunn countered with a 35-yard scoring pass to Jordan Goodlow, making it 28-14. The Spartans had a TD run by Jupiter called back by a penalty and also lost a fumble in the red in the final period. But it did not matter.

The main goal of this season was to give our seniors as many games as possible, EAHS Lee said. That is the biggest thing about this win.

"Sure, we have to play Acadiana and they are the defending champions. But in a year like this, why not? I am so happy for these guys.

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East Ascension uses defense, big plays to power its way by Captain Shreve 28-14 - The Advocate

In the aftermath of the Denver Nuggets strained conquest of the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals, much of the focus has gone to the Clippers, who collapsed in increasingly dramatic fashion upon gaining a 3-1 edge in the seven-game set. And that is fair, very fair.As RealGMs Colin McGowan notes at eloquent length, they were a particularly schadenfreude-inspiring team that, to boot, carries with them a spiritual lack that feels endemic to their franchises origins; an unshakeable ghost of mediocrity and inauthenticity, the repeated burning of which is a sort of medicine to many dedicated NBA followers.

But on the flip-side of this epic demise is the joyful rise of one of the leagues youngest, most unique teams. Technically the 11th youngest roster as measured by median age, the Nuggets average lived experience is dragged way up by the lone veteran within their rotation, 35-year-old Paul Millsap. Its also worth noting that 29-year-old starter Will Barton has been injured for the entirety of the Nuggets Orlando bubble experience, and that the super-green Michael Porter Jr., recently 22, has taken the lions share of his minutes. These guys are young, really young, truly spermatozoic as contenders, and their early ascension has been one of the sports most infectious bildungsromans that weve seen in some time.

Porter himself presents the most distilled coming-of-age arc of the bunch. He entered the bubble technically a rookie after missing his entire first season because of a potentially life-altering back injury that kept him out of his college playing experience for all but three gamesit also caused him to drop out of the lottery range of the 2018 NBA Draft, after once being the No. 1 prospect in the country. During the news cycle of said draft, Porter made some laughably self-aggrandizing comments, likening himself toa mix ofKevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. This comment inspired long-lasting, reasonable doubts about his maturity and sense of himself, doubts which resurfaced when, following a late regular-season explosion of scoring and rebounding productivity, Porter became a defensive liability in the Nuggets first round battle against the Utah Jazz, as opposing coach Quin Snyder had his team hunt and destroy Porter in mismatches over and over again. His minutes winnowed as the series swamped on to its Game 7 slugfest, and especially once guard Gary Harris, the stunningly adept and active anchor of the Nuggets defense, returned from injury.

Porter then again raised his skeptics ears up when he implied he needed more touches and shots after a dispiriting Game 4 beatdown in the next round at the hands of the Clippers. By the time the Nuggets had reached the final sprint of their shocking comeback, though, Porter was ready to put in a box score that coaches everywhere love to see: 15 minutes, two shots, and seven rebounds in Game 7. Numbers that would make any old-school, grit-and-grind, fundamentals-worshipping father blush. His defense has improved faster than just about anyones ever has, as well, and Porter's deference for the teams gravitational centerpiece, Serbian big man Nikola Jokic, also rose over the course of these redemptive games. At one point Porter called Jokicthe best player in the world.

Its Jokic who, more than anyone, created the vortex within Porter and the rest of them rose, and the Clippers fell. Second to only LeBron James at making ten professional basketball players, with and against him, move at his speed, the beguiling center is already legend at the age of 25. Said speed of game is singular, and certainly difficult to describe. In the halfcourt, Jokic is easily the slowest MVP candidate since Shaquille ONealwho he is slower than. But as a defensive rebounder, the Nuggets often turn stops into baskets faster than anyone else in the league, because of Jokics trademarkone-handed rebound-to-pass.Harris, Jamal Murray, Porter, Jerami Grant, and the rest of a fast roster built around a slow man has gotten so used to Jokics willingness and vision as a passer that most of the leagues best cutters-to-the-rim are all on this team.

And in Murray, Jokic has a duo-mate whos had the most fearsome fits of scoring fire of anyone in these playoffs. The Canadian is profiled as a lifetime student of Zen meditation in many a broadcast, and when the powers of spiritual presence that this has earned him are manifest in the line between him and the basket, its one of the most watchable sights in basketball. Murray had 40 points in the closeout game against Los Angeles, topping off the victory with an absurdly deep, unbalanced three-pointer that devoted fans of Murray were sure would be all net. After that shot, and Grants breakaway dunk right after, the Nuggets extended their lead to 20 points, crystallizing the theretofore surreal proof of their concept as they toppled a team thats been spoken of as one that only LeBron could touch for the past year. Now its the Nuggets who go on to face the NBAs king, instead, and youd be silly to be surprised by anything they do in his palace, by now.

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The Early Ascension Of The Nuggets - RealGM.com

The long-awaited, first Fort Worth location of Ascension Coffee will finally be opening in WestBend soon. It was originally slated for an early 2020 opening, but is now set to debut on October 20 at 1751 River Run Suite No. 151.

It will be located next-door to Bartaco, backing onto the Trinity River with an expanded covered patio and a spectacular view providing another quick stop right off the Trinity Trail system.

Founder Russell Hayward is now on the board of the company, and in charge of the coffee roastery side of the business. Bill Schaffler, whose resume includes his years serving as CFO of both La Madeleine and Nothing Bundt Cakes, took over as president in July of 2019. Since Schafflers arrival a lot has changed. He sat down with PaperCity Fort Worth to explain.

Many changes at Ascension Coffee were already in the works, prior to the appearance of coronavirus, like the crystallization of the menu a shift that was implemented companywide in June.

As the concept grew from two location to nine, the menu expanded with it, Schaffler says. We found ourselves with over 40 items, and now we have slimmed down to our top selling 30 items. We just needed to streamline our menu as well as add value to our customers experience. So you might notice our pricing has changed as well.

Another welcome change is the addition of all-day-breakfast. Regulars love Ascensions Aussie Bacon + Egg Roll, served on a brioche bun and topped with Jersey butter, and the popular Bacon + Egg Protein Brekky with roasted mushrooms, blistered tomatoes and avocado. But this is a coffee shop that serves all three meals and every nosh in-between. At lunchtime, several sandwiches shine like the Wagyu Pastrami, a classic cold Reuben with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and more Jersey butter.

Ascension is also known for their bowls, including the Hippie Bowl filled with ancient grains, kale and pickled beets, among other things. The new Fort Worth Ascension Coffee will be a prime spot for the college crowd to sit, soak and study. It should also become a sought-after brunch destination with mimosa carafes for $10 and a relaxing view of the Trinity River.

Schaffler says ramping up to open the first Fort Worth Ascension has put a lot of things on the fast track like nailing down their design philosophy. He calls the Fort Worth Ascension Coffee a prototype for the company going forward. The company worked with Plan B Group on the many design updates.

Youll see polished concrete floors, as well as both subway tile behind the main counter and bold Moroccan tiles in white and gray tones on a pony wall dividing the space. Shelving toward the back will display a selection of coffee-brewing supplies as well. Seating will be cafe style inside, with a counter positioned near windows that can open in the event of ideal weather in Texas.

The Fort Worth Ascension also will have a handy service window off the Trinity Trail to hand quick cups and snacks to sweaty cyclists and joggers. The patio will wrap two sides of the building, and will be covered by permanent awnings, with brick pavers under foot. This will also be the first Ascension Coffee to serve wine, and local beer (including Fort Worths Martin House), along with the usual cold brews and nitro coffees on eight taps.

Future Ascension Coffees will have more of an emphasis on outdoor dining as well, Schaffler reveals. Addisons Ascension has already gotten the new styling treatment, and Dallas Oak Lawn and Crescent Court locations are up next.

Ascension was introduced to Black Rooster Bakery also in Fort Worth, and have found their European style pastries to be a huge hit so much so that Black Rooster pastries are now available in all Dallas Ascension locations, baked fresh daily. The new Fort Worth coffee shop and future Ascension locations will include a glass pastry case to display them.

Schaffler says they took the chance to reevaluate during the coronavirus shutdowns, and chose to close four of Ascensions Dallas locations (two in downtown, one in Willow Bend Mall and another located in a North Dallas office building). So there are five locations currently and when Fort Worth opens it will be Ascensions sixth.

The closures put us in a much stronger position, Schaffler tells PaperCity Fort Worth. We are now able to focus on real estate with a great future, and we are actively looking at adding multiple locations in Plano, North Dallas and Tarrant County.

Coronavirus also saw Ascension Coffee add a new point-of-sale system called TOAST, bringing the convenience of online ordering and pickup orders. Those new sales now make up about 20 percent of Ascensions overall sales, since just being rolled out in June. Next up? Ascensions new app, which will expand those sales and add a loyalty program. The new app will roll out companywide with the opening of the WestBend Ascension on October 20.

Ascension Coffee sources, blends and roasts its own coffee and its new motto is Farm-To-Cup as coffee drinkers are increasingly more interested in where their coffee is sourced. Sourcing and roasting remain founder Russell Haywards great passion with Ascension only sourcing the top two percent of coffee in the world.

We are proud to source the best coffee globally, Schaffler says. We wont serve beans that dont score above an 84 by the Specialty Coffee Association of America and have recently launched our Cups of Excellence program, buying small lots of some of the most premium beans from around the world.

It makes for an exceptional cup of coffee one that comes with its own compelling story, like the bags they just acquired from Yemen, and plan to introduce to customers next spring. Other Cups of Excellence include special beans from Peru and an additional roast from Guatemala.

Ascension Coffee has added pour-over brewing as well as Doki Doki which is a unique Kyoto-style cold brew method dating back to 1600s.

The company has had a transformative year, and Bill Schaffler hopes all the introspection will pay off as they look to expand the brand even more in the metroplex. The new Fort Worth Ascension Coffee will open at 6:30 am once it debuts in the October with the closing time still to be determined.

Its a new coffee world.

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New Fort Worth Ascension Coffee to be a Showcase for Significant Changes With the Popular Concept - PaperCity Magazine

By ADAM SHINDER

Staff Writer

St. Marys Healthcares return to its former status as an independent Catholic healthcare ministry became official this week as the organization completed the final steps of its process of separating from the Ascension healthcare system, which St. Marys had been a part of since 2002.

St. Marys announced the finalization of its return to independent status in a press release Tuesday, and president and CEO Scott Bruce said in a phone interview Wednesday that he was excited for where the move will take St. Marys moving forward.

Its a big deal, Bruce said. A lot of time and work has gone into this on the part of the senior leadership team here and prior, too. Of course the board of directors here are very instrumental in making this happen, and a very cooperative relationship with Ascension at the same time.

St. Marys and Ascension announced in March the agreement that the Amsterdam-based ministry would return to its independent status.

With the move now complete, St. Marys board of directors will now be able to have a more immediate hand in the governing process.

Our board of directors, theyre excited to be engaged and working directly with senior leadership here from a governance perspective, rather than working with not only us, but Ascension as well, Bruce said. It will streamline things and have more of that decision-making right here in Amsterdam.

It also means a more direct line of engagement with the local community. St. Marys spokesman Rick Hyde said, Once were past COVID and able to participate in events, youre going to see a lot more of St. Marys.

Bruce added, Weve always tried to maintain that direct, active relationship with the community. I think it will be a little bit more direct now, and I think well be out even more, but weve really tried to maintain that even during this period as a part of Ascension. But, I would expect that to increase now.

The shift will also see a change in signage, letterhead, corporate documents, marketing material and the St. Marys website that move away from co-branding with Ascension.

Bruce, who was St. Marys vice president at the time the announcement was made and took over as president and CEO in July following the retirement of longtime leader Vic Giulianelli, said the final steps of the process included fine-tuning many of the organizational aspects that were handled by Ascension at either a regional or national level, including information technology and human resources.

Ascension is a very highly-integrated organization, Bruce said. Its not just a contractual relationship between us and Ascension. From IT to human resources to finance, all of those solutions here in Amsterdam were part of larger solutions that were sponsored by Ascension.

Bruce said that, as part of the agreement, Ascension would continue to provide some services to St. Marys for at least the next ninth months or so.

When the decision to return to independent status was announced in March, Giulianelli said it would take a full year for St. Marys to take over the 16 hospital systems provided either by Ascension or companies affiliated with Ascension.

St. Marys, founded in 1903, joined Ascension in 2002 when the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet added their Carondelet Health System to the national health system.

The move for independence, Bruce said, was the best step forward for St. Marys.

This is a process weve been at for a while now, just trying to determine what was the best scenario for St. Marys here at the local level, he said. We just decided, with cooperation from Ascension, that the best path forward for us was an independent path.

St. Marys employs around 1,600 people and takes care of about 430,000 outpatient visits per year as well as a 150-bed nursing home.

A lot of time and effort on the part of a lot of folks here and St. Louis [where Ascension is headquartered] went into making this happen, Bruce said. I think were excited to have this part of it completed and excited to move onto our future as an independent organization and independent ministry.

Reach Adam Shinder at ashinder@dailygazette.netor @Adam_Shinder on Twitter.

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St. Marys Healthcare independent ministry again - The Recorder

STEVENS POINT The Ascension St. Michaels Hospital mental health unit has been awarded the Providing Hope Award from the Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Coalition of Portage County, Ascension announced this week.

The Providing Hope Award is awarded annually to individuals or agencies that provide hope to the community for people who struggle with mental health issues. The award was presented on Sept. 2.

Education provided by the mental health unit includes information on diagnosis, coping strategies, healthy relationships and lifestyles, and how to live a full life with mental health struggles.

All of the staff also provide patient advocacy to ensure a supportive environment and patient rights, said Laurie Knapp-Roberts, a registered nurse and manager of behavioral health services at Ascension St. Michaels. They also directly support the work of the Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Coalition by always lending a hand in the behind-the-scenes work for various events and projects.

Knapp-Roberts adds that much of the credit for this award goes to Michelle Nelson, the Ascension St. Michaels mental health unit social worker who has served as the coalition chairwoman for the past 13 years.

Michelle works tirelessly to reduce the stigma of mental illness, prevent suicide and educate community members about mental health and resources available in Portage County, Knapp-Roberts said.

If you or someone you know needs support today, the following resources are are available:

For more information on the Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Coalition of Portage County, call 715-346-5401.

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St. Michael's mental health unit recognized with Providing Hope Award - wausaupilotandreview.com