Monthly Archives: September 2020

Household hazardous waste collection canceled

Ascension Parish government's household hazardous materials collection day set for Saturday at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center has been canceled.

For more information, call (225) 450-1200.

John Couvillon, president and founder of JMC Analytics and Polling, will be the featured speaker at the September Ascension GOP Roundtable, sponsored by Ascension Republican Women. The Roundtable will be at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 17 at the Clarion Inn, 1500 W. La. 30 in Gonzales.

Couvillon holds a B.S. in accounting from LSU and a masters degree in information systems.

The cost for lunch is $22, which will be collected at the door. The event is open to the public and guests are welcome. Reservations are requested. RSVP: (225) 921-5187 or e-mail: ARWrUS@aol.com.

Join the Ascension Parish Library for the Build a Better Business Virtual Series of small-business workshops to be provided via Zoom. This series is made possible with a Libraries Lead with Digital Skills Grant through Grow with Google and the Public Library Association.

The grant initiative has also made it possible for the Ascension Parish Library to create its new Business Resource Center website to help small businesses succeed.

Benita Benta Rice, a profit and growth consultant, will be the guest speaker for this virtual series. Benta Rice has over 20 years of corporate experience working with C-level executives in several roles asset management, management analyst and project management roles. This virtual series will provide small businesses with decision-making tools to manage and grow their businesses. Topics for the series include:

Creating a Financial Scoreboard: Using Numbers to Build a Better Business Session 1 on Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m.

Creating a Financial Scoreboard: Using Numbers to Build a Better Business Session 2 on Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m.

April 15 is Back Again: Maximizing the Benefits of Tax Reporting for Entrepreneurs - Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

How to Prevent your Business from Failing: Identifying Strategies and Systems to Grow your Business - Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m.

To register for these virtual sessions, visit the librarys new Business Resource Center website at http://www.aplbusinessresource.com under webinars. You can also register by calling the Donaldsonville location at (225) 473-8052. After registering, you will receive an email with more information on how to join the discussion(s) via Zoom. If you happen to miss a class, training sessions will be recorded and can be viewed later on the Business Resource Center website.

Visit with local folk artist Alvin Batiste and help the Ascension Parish Library celebrate 60 years of library service. Batiste will be painting during the celebration in Donaldsonville from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 22.

A classic cars on display and other activities are also planned. For more information, call the library at (225) 473-8052.

Ascension Parish Library hosts "Days Gone By: A Look at Donaldsonvilles Pas"t with Sidney Marchand III at 2 p.m. Sept. 15 on Zoom. Born and raised in Donaldsonville, Marchand is the grandson of Sidney Marchand Sr., local historian, mayor, attorney and author of the well-known collection of books on Donaldsonville history.

Marchand will share historic photos and images in this virtual glimpse back in time of Old Donaldsonville and talk about how this historic town has changed.

To register for this virtual presentation on Zoom, call the library at (225) 473-8052. You will receive an email with meeting information on how to join the live session.

Visit any Ascension Parish Library location starting Monday, Sept. 21, and pick up a Comic Book Fun packet. Inside, find the instructions and materials you need to create your own comic book as well as a TV bingo sheet. Use the bingo sheet to play TV bingo while you watch an Inspector Gadget cartoon episode on Hoopla! Check out our Comic Book Fun YouTube video at youtube.myapl.org to find cool links to e-comic books and more!

Editor's Note: This column was changed on Aug. 9 to announce the cancellation of the planned Household Hazardous Waste day.

Read the original:

Around Ascension for Sept. 9, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com - The Advocate

The Detroit Free Press published an opinion piece by Zlatan Cizmic, M.D., a member of the Wayne State University School of Medicine Class of 2017, on the importance of the empathy and commitment that immigrant physicians bring to health care.

Dr. Cizmic, 29, who also completed his undergraduate degree at Wayne State University, and his family fled war-torn Bosnia in the 1990s. He is now an orthopedic surgery resident in the Ascension Hospital system in Detroit.

His article, published Sept. 4, also touches on the many contributions immigrants make in Detroit and nationwide in the areas of health care, business and industry.

The complete article is below, and can be read in the Detroit Free Press.

Detroits immigrants, refugees play crucial role in COVID-19 recoveryZlatan Cizmic

I was three years old when a grenade flew over my head and exploded against the side of our apartment building. It was 1994, and my familys native Bosnia was engulfed in civil war. Heaps of drywall collapsed on top of me, and as my parents dug me out of the rubble, they knew exactly what they had to do: flee.

We escaped to Croatia, applied for refugee status and, six months later, moved into a tiny apartment in Detroit. We were poor and knew little about our new home, but we vowed to repay Americas kindness. Today, Im an orthopedic surgery resident at the Ascension Hospital system, treating both orthopedic and COVID-19 patients across the Detroit metro area. My personal experience of poverty and war has equipped me to help vulnerable patients especially now.

Immigrants and refugees bring a unique empathy and commitment to our work on the front lines. According to new research from New American Economy, released in partnership with the City of Detroit and surrounding counties, we are nearly 12% of the citys health care workforce, 17% of local pharmacists and 14% of grocery workers. We own businesses and create jobs at high rates, especially in industries like health care and hospitality that are vital to our economic recovery.

My own experience as a refugee has proved crucial during the pandemic. I weathered those grueling 24-hour shifts in the spring in part because Id already learned to cope with upheaval and trauma. When patients arrived suffering from the double anguish of COVID-19 and shattered bones, I could empathize with their fear. That understanding puts my patients at ease and allows them to open up about their own struggles. As a result I can tailor their treatment for a better recovery. Entering the relationship with empathy is key; studies show that this trait among doctors increases successful outcomes.

Speaking a patients native tongue also leads to better health results. Many immigrant health care workers are multilingual, which helps hospitals and private practices reach a broader client base. Immigrants also bring cultural fluency, which means we can deliver medical care more effectively. On a previous rotation, my attending and I were treating a Bosnian patient who was reluctant to take her blood pressure medication. I explained everything in her native language and addressed unspoken concerns about Western medicine, which I could sense in her hesitation. She thanked me, and when she returned a month later, her health had improved greatly.

The pandemic has made the importance of effective communication all too clear. None of us are safe until all of us are safe, and that includes immigrant communities. Multi-lingual health care workers have been crucial to spreading the safety standards that effectively contain the virus. But health care workers both immigrant and American-born cannot shoulder the burden of protecting our city and state. COVID-19 relief measures must include immigrants, low-income residents and other vulnerable populations. COVID-19 testing and treatment should be affordable for everyone.

Beyond health care, we need to support immigrant essential workers, especially business owners. After the Great Recession, immigrants played a key role in our economic recovery; in 2011, they founded 550 new businesses per month for every 100,000 immigrants, more than twice the rate of native-born Americans, according to NAE.

Lets give them the tools they need to do that again.

Here in Detroit, I am dedicated to serving the community: volunteering to translate in hospitals and providing pro-bono health services to students in addition to my professional work. I do this because Americans modeled this same selflessness when my family landed here, war-weary and scared. A resettlement agency helped my parents find jobs, furnish our new home and get acclimated to the U.S. They helped our family transition from scarcity to security. Now my family and so many immigrant families want to do the same for this country. Give us the chance and we will.

See original here:

Class of 2017 physician publishes article on empathy immigrants bring to health care - The South End

Experience can never guarantee a volleyball victory. But it came up aces in more ways than one for Parkview Baptist.

The senior-laden Eagles recorded 19 aces during a 3-0 victory over East Ascension on Thursday night and PBS (2-0) won 25-9, 25-13 and 25-5 in the nondistrict matchup between teams from different divisions.

Weve been practicing hard and changing up the lineup to see what will work best for us, Parkview's Taylor Sharer said. We have close to the same lineup we had last year and I think that is a huge advantage for us. We have played together so long, which helps with the chemistry of the team.

The 5-foot-10 Sharer and teammate Madison Cassidy made the most of their swings as outside hitters. Both players finished with 10 kills for the Division IV Eagles. Sharer had four aces, while setter Morgan Lambert led the way with seven aces and 10 assists.

It was a game of contrasts because Parkviews lineup includes 10 seniors. East Ascension (0-3) entered the season with a lineup of primarily first-year varsity starters. Melinna Carrero led the Spartans with three kills and two assists.

Our goal this year is to learn because we have some very young kids on the floor, EAHS coach Jamie Gilmore Simmons said. Its going be a process and this wont be about where we start, it will be about what we learn and how we finish.

There were some things I thought we did improve on today. They (the Eagles) are an experienced team and they play like it.

PBS displayed its experience in serve-receive throughout the match. The Eagles pushed the Spartans to the baseline to retrieve long serves multiple times to record aces. And when Division I EAHS got comfortable with that, Parkview would drop a short serve just over the net for a point.

Lambert ended the second set with a pair of aces. Six PBS players recorded aces in the final set. When the Eagles did score via an ace, Sharer and Cassidy were connected on kills down the line or crosscourt. Parkview scored 10 of the first 11 points in the last set.

East Ascension is young and they are learning, Parkview coach Becky Madden said. What I talked to our girls about was playing our game and being as consistent as possible. Make sure we are talking and communicating. I thought we did that.

See the rest here:

Aces all around: Efficient Parkview Baptist excels in 3-0 victory over East Ascension - The Advocate

A debate around Duchess Camillas royal title, following her husband Prince Charless ascension to the throne is up for public fury currently. The biggest reason being the loving soft corner many Brits still carry for the late Princess Diana.

Experts believe that if the Duchess were to change her title from, the lesser known Princess Consort to Queen Consort, a constitutional issue might arise. However, at the end of the day Clarence Houses statement about Duchess Camillas future title is something which her husband will ultimately decide.

Royal expert MacMarthanne spoke out about this legal loophole during a conversation with Express.UK and was quoted saying, "Upon his accession, the Duchess of Cornwall will automatically become Queen Consort. There has been much speculation over this issue principally because of the sensitivities relating to Diana, Princess of Wales."

He went on to say, "This, however, does not change the fact that in law the duchess will become Queen Consort. Indeed, presently she is entitled to be known as Princess of Wales, but again mindful of Diana, Princess of Wales the decision was taken to use one of Prince Charles subsidiary titles. There has been much debate as to what title will be taken when Charles becomes King, Princess Consort being one."

"There is no precedent for such a style, but that does not preclude its eventual use, nor would its use mitigate her legal right to be recognised as Queen Consort."

Britains University College London's Constitution Unit also put forward another legal reason why Duchess Camilla might not warrant the title of Queen Consort.

The official site of the university states, "Under common law the spouse of a King automatically becomes Queen. But there are two possible reasons why Camilla might not assume the title. The first is the argument that Camilla cannot become Queen because her 2005 civil marriage to Prince Charles was not valid."

"The argument runs as follows: because the Marriage Acts from 1753 have explicitly excepted royal marriages from their provisions, the only valid marriage which a member of the royal family could contract in England was a religious marriage in the Church of England."

While this claim was dismissed by The Lord Chancellor in 2005, the Duchesss title frenzy might still pose a threat later down the line.

Read the original:

Duchess Camilla to be under legal duress following Prince Charles ascension to the throne - The News International

Staff Report| Gonzales Weekly Citizen

John Couvillon,president and founderofJMC Analytics and Polling, apolitical consulting firm,will be the featured speaker at the SeptemberAscension GOP Roundtable,sponsored by Ascension Republican Women.The Roundtable will begin at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 17 at the Clarion Inn, 1500 W. Highway 30 in Gonzales, with a meet-and-greet. The event will begin at noon.

Couvillon holds aB.S. in Accounting from Louisiana State University and aMasters Degree in Information Systems. His political expertise is sought frompublications such as the National Journal, Business Insider, The Hill, POLITICO,Roll Call, Campaigns and Elections, Real Clear Politics, and the Wall Street Journal. Couvillons polling in the 2019 Louisiana governors race made him a finalist for the Reed Awards for polling by Campaigns and Elections Magazine.

2020 Republican candidates are welcome to meet and greet with guests.

Cost for the lunch is $22, with a choice of three entrees. The event is open to the public, and guests are welcome. Reservations are requested. RSVP:225-921-5187or e-mail:ARWrUS@aol.com. Payments will be collected at the door (checks and cash preferred).

Entree Choices are: Fried Catfish, Fried Shrimp or Marinated Chicken. All meals include a salad, stuffed potato, iced tea and dessert.

Members and guests are asked to bring non-perishable items for the St. Theresa Food Bank.

Read more:

John Couvillon to speak at Ascension GOP Roundtable - Weekly Citizen

Its hard to imagine its gone by this quickly, but 2020 is already approaching its final quarter. Regardless of the extremely turbulent times, there has still been a ton of new music that has come out, and theres still plenty more to come.

With projects on the way from the likes of GRiZ, Porter Robinson, Gorillaz, Joey Bada$$, and ZHU, we have whole heap of good music to look forward to. We went and looked up who exactly had announced albums for the remainder of this year, and compiled them into a list. Some our dropping as soon as this week, with others still mostly shrouded in mystery.

As we approach the final stretch of 2020, here are 20 the albums were most looking forward to hearing before the year wraps up.

The Flaming Lips American HeadRelease Date:September 11

The Flaming Lips never seem to stop making music. And for that, were thankful. Their sixteenth studio album American Head is due to be released this week on September 11. Frontman Wayne Coyne said that the interview was inspired by the life and travels of a young Tom Petty, a nostalgic album about longing for home while being on the road. Were eager to see what American Headbrings.

Joji NectarRelease Date: September 25

Joji will be releasing his sophomore album, Nectar, on 88rising in just a couple weeks. After channeling a very melancholy sound on most of BALLADS 1, were very eager to see the direction he takes for this one. Hes already released Breathe and Daylight, with Diplo.

Action Bronson Only For DolphinsRelease Date:September 25

As we mentioned in our coverage of the lead single GoldenEye, Action Bronson STAYS working in the studio. Now, in the wake of the single drop, hes announced a new full-length album Only For Dolphins. According to Bronson, it meant to be a tribute to dolphins and their overall intelligence, and the fact that Bronson believes they operate on the same wavelength as he does (but of course). With production credits from the likes of Alchemist, Budgie, Samiyam, Daringer, and Bronson himself, this oneis sure to be a strong follow up to 2018sWhite Bronco.

Jadu Heart Hyper Romance Release Date: September 25

In conjunction with the release of their newest single Walk the Line Bristol-based duo Jadu Heart also announced that theyll be dropping their second album Hyper Romance on September 25th. Set to be a further exploration of their unique blend of raw, energetic psych-rock mixed with sonic healing, were excited to see how their songwriting prowess has expanded since their last release.

Sufjan Stevens The AscensionRelease Date:September 25

Indie folk idol Sufjan Stevens is releasing his first album in five years on September 25, The Ascension. Stevens has kept busy over the past few years working on various projects like the exquisite Call Me By Your Name soundtrack and the score for 2017 ballet The Decalogue. One single, America, has been released so far from of The Ascensionand it is brilliant, in its own melancholic blissful way. Stevens heavenly vocals on America make us look forward to his latest even more.

ford. The Color Of NothingRelease date: October 16

ford. is gearing up to release his sophomore album, and its a return to ODESZAs tastemaking label, Foreign Family Collective. Weve already gotten a taste of it with singles such as the title track and Hold On. The Color Of Nothing is due out on October 16.

Gorillaz Song Machine: Season 1 Strange TimezRelease Date: October 23

After months of Gorillaz dropping off singles from a mysterious project called Song Machine, we finally have a release date. The project, now fully titled Song Machine: Season 1 Strange Timez, is out October 23. Each track stars a different guest feature, and theyve enlisted some of the best: Beck, Elton John, The Cure, and ScHoolboy Q to name a few

Kasbo The Making Of A ParacosmRelease Date: October 23

Another one coming off Foreign Family Collective, Kasbos sophomore effort, The Making Of A Paracosm is one were very much looking forward to. The two singles Play Pretend and Show You have captivated us with a fresh new sound from the unique Swedish talent.

John Frusciante MayaRelease Date: October 23

John Frusciante, the former (and now current) guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has been releasing solo electronic music under the name Trickfinger. This time, in honor of his late cate,Maya, John will be releasing the album under his own name. Its an experimental, IDM sound that you can get a preview of with the lead single, Amethblowl.

Malaa Illegal Mixtape Vol. 3Release Date: TBA

Instead of releasing albums, Malaa chooses to drop mixtapes. He announced the volume three of hisIllegal Mixtapeseries back in June with the drop of the banger DONT TALK. Still no release date on this one, but with all the music hes releasing recently, its probably right around the corner.

GRiZ Chasing The Golden Hour Pt. 3Release date:TBA

GRiZ announced recently that he had finished completing Chasing The Golden Hour Pt. 3, his project focused on the perfect sunset vibe. Were big fans of parts one and two, so knowing that he is sitting on this one, were hoping he decided to drop it before the end of the year.

J. Cole The Fall OffRelease Date:TBA

While the release of J.Coles latest album The Fall Off is still up in the air, he has treated fans to two new tracks off of his upcoming project. Infectious trackLion King On Ice accompanied by old-school vibe The Climb Back, both released in July, have had J Cole fans everywhere hungry for more. The rapper said he wanted to take his time with The Fall Off, which is why there is no official release date yet.

Alicia Keys AliciaRelease Date:TBA

Alicia Keys has already had quite the year. With the release of her inspirational smash hit Underdog earlier this year, Alicia has unsurprisingly managed to make her superstardom span decades. Her seventh studio album, Alicia, is slated for release sometime in 2020. While we dont have an official release date yet, were looking forward to what this icon will deliver next.

Tchami YEAR ZERORelease date: TBA

Despite championing a record label focusing on a unique sound for the past few years, Tchami has yet to release an album. Thats coming to a close soon, however, with the drop of his debut album titled YEAR ZERO. This one was announced in late May, however a release date has yet to be finalized. You can check out the handful singles released from the project, here and here.

Porter Robinson nurtureRelease Date: TBA

The highly-anticipated follow up to Porter Robinsons 2014 Worlds project is finally happening this year. The project is called nurture, and weve already been gifted three singles from the project so far. There was a slight delay with the project, but Porter has already continued the rollout, so it could arrive any day now.

Red Hot Chili Peppers TBA

RHCP recently announced that John Frusciante was returning on the next Red Hot Chili Peppers album, and weve been at the edge of our seats ever since. Frusciante was instrumental for some of their best work. No further details have been announced since, but its been a solid nine months since. Theyre due.

ZHU TBA

At the beginning of 2020, ZHU announced that he had an album that he was aiming to drop by the end of the year. With all the new music and merch that hes been putting out recently, we have no reason to doubt that its coming soon.

Phoenix TBA

Its been a few years since Phoenixs 2017 album Te Amo, but with the release of a new single last month, and subsequent information coming out via both their own social channels as well as other news outlets, it looks like a new release from the beloved indie-pop outfit is imminent. Ever since their 2009 album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix dominated our listening rotation, weve been waiting with baited breath every time new material is announced. And thankfully, now it looks like our latest wait is almost over.

Joey Bada$$ TBA

Joey made a triumphant return recently with the release of The Light Pack, three brand new tracks that show Joey at his finest yet. Joey confirmed an album on the way when he tweeted: Wow, this is really my best album. No release date announced yet.

BROCKHAMPTON TBA

In May, BROCKHAMPTON delivered two new singles, and even announced the release of not one, but two new albums during a private livestream. The singles, however, have since been removed from YouTube, so we cant be sure whats to come of the albums. Their socials have been quiet since then, but were hoping Kevin Abstract stays true to his word!

Related

See the original post:

20 Highly Anticipated Albums We Can't Wait To Hear This Fall/Winter - This Song is Sick

Courtesy of David Blaine Ascension (YouTube)

Illusionist, magician, and performer David Blaine, known for his mind-boggling feats,successfully accomplished another daunting stunt earlier this week. Blaine reached an altitude of about 25,000 feet by floating skyward using only heliumballoons.

The stunt, "Ascension",was likely the most dangerous and ambitious feat he has ever attempted. He partnered with YouTube Originals to live-stream the event, which he says was inspired by his daughter and his ownchildhood dream. Blaine spentmonths training prepping for the stunt; becoming an expert at skydiving and flying balloons, as well as acclimating to cooler temps found in higher air.

On Wednesday, September 2, Blaine put all those hours of training to good use when he performed the high-flying feat. After two hours of prep, he began his ascent over Page, Arizona. Gripping a bunch of about 50 large helium balloonsthese were not your birthday party variety balloons;they were much larger andoutfitted with camerasBlaine carried weights on him that he periodically dropped to increase his ascension once he lifted off.

Watch the stunt below:

The illusionist had a goal of reaching 18,000 feet, and he exceeded that by hitting a high of 24,900 feet. Once there, he let the balloons go and skydived and parachuted back to the ground where he landed safely. The stunt itself took about a half an hour, from lift-off.

An entire team of engineers, stunt experts, weather experts, and more were involved in the project.

What do you think about this high-flying stunt? Would you want to float above the earth from a bunch of balloons? What other mind-bending stunts would you want to see someone like Blane perform? Sound off on the comments.

Read more from the original source:

VIDEO: Extreme Performer David Blaine Floats High Above the Earth From a Bunch of Balloons - ourcommunitynow.com

The daily average of new coronavirus cases across a large swath of the Baton Rouge area fell by two-thirds in the 1 months since Gov. John Bel Edwards imposed a statewide mask mandate and closed bars.

Susan Hassig, a Tulane University epidemiologist, said that means if cases do bump back up after the Labor Day break and after other loosening of restrictions, including the continued growth of in-person classes, any new growth in cases will begin from a higher starting point than in March.

She said hospital officials in the Baton Rouge area remain "very, very worried" about their ability to handle new cases because of tight capacity.

"It is real, and the ramifications of people easing up or kicking back on guidance or mandates is terrifying to them," Hassig said Friday.

Edwards said Friday that he was hopeful that cases will have declined enough statewide that he can announce later this week that social distancing restrictions can be loosened from Phase 2 to Phase 3. The governor has faced criticism from business groups and some conservative leaders that he has waited too long to reopen the state further and ease the financial pain of an economy restrained by public health measures.

Trends for rolling case averages and percent positivity have continued to move more consistently downward statewide than for the portion of the Baton Rouge area in state Health Department's Region 2 in recent weeks, state dashboard data show.

State officials and some health experts said the sharp and consistent drop in new cases between mid-July and mid-August as calculated on a rolling, seven-day average had showed the mask and bar measures were, to some degree, strongly correlated with the drop in cases. A delayed but apparent effect on reduced hospitalizations statewide only furthered that conclusion, some experts added.

"It's clear that after the governor put the mask mandate in place that we began to see a decline in cases, along with decreases in hospitalizations and COVID-like illnesses," Kevin Litten, a state department of health spokesman, said in late August. "It generally takes about a week if not two to begin seeing the impact of events or decisions on COVID-19 indicators, but it can be seen in the dashboard graphs."

Even then, though, some officials said late last month that they remained worried about underlying trends in the Baton Rouge area, including lingering high percent positivity, or the rate of positive cases for a given batch of tests. The measure is seen as one possible signal of the depth of infection in the community and a marker of testing strength.

"Masks have had a tremendous effect, and we're very thankful for our patients and for the community that the mask mandate occurred, but it hasn't had enough of an effect, and I remain very concerned about Region 2's percent positivity," Dr. Catherine O'Nealsaid in late August.

O'Neal is an infectious disease expert and chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge.

Since her comments, Region 2's overall positivity rate continued to go up to around 13.4% through Aug. 28, as testing has slowed down significantly from highs in July during a federal effort to boost testing. Hurricane Laura has also disrupted some testing.

The Region 2 area encompasses Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes.

But a parish-by-parish analysis within Region 2 and across the rest of the Baton Rouge area offers a more mixed picture of percent positivity.

East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston and other parishes have seen their positivity rates drop in recent weeks, while some outlying parishes with large state-run facilities where cases have sharply increased, including East and West Feliciana parishes, have seen their positivity rise.

At the same time, bed and intensive care unit space in the BatonRouge region remains tight, state data show, though some of that may be attributed to Hurricane Laura's devastation of Lake Charles hospitals.

Since those conclusions about the mask mandates were reached in late August, the steady fall in cases has stalled out or even rebounded a bit in the Baton Rouge area, according to state data and an Advocate analysis.

During the same period, schools reopened, some with at least a hybrid of virtual and in-person classes.

East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension Parishes have had students and staff get infected, forcing quarantines, though the numbers remain tiny relative to the size of the systems.

Ascension, for example, has had 46 positive cases since mid-July in a system of more than 23,000 students and 3,000 employees, but those cases have led to quarantines among some students and staff at 20 different schools. Only 15 cases remain active, a system spokeswoman said.

More than 150 students and staff in Livingston public schools were quarantined two weeks ago but that number has dropped significantly since then.

East Baton Rouge Parish schools have had a handful of cases but is planning to start in-person classes among younger students later this month. LSU has also had recent batches of positive cases.

"The educational process, especially in when it involves in-person teaching and on campus residency and everything else, is going to bring people into contact with each other in ways that they haven't been for a very long time," Hassig said. "And so it would be totally expected that cases would change and, likely, potentially, not in the way we would want them to go."

Read more:

Drop in Baton Rouge-area cases after mask mandate, bar closures may have stalled - The Advocate