Category Archives: Ascension

The project's master plan calls for destination retail, first-class restaurants, hotels, cinema, multifamily, townhomes, and medical and Class A offices for several corporate campuses. (Courtesy Wolf Lakes Village)

According to a news release, the 40,000- to 60,000-square-foot medical office building will encompass a wide range of specialties and services, including orthopedics and full outpatient imaging servicesX-Ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, mammography, and bone density testingwith more specialties expected in the future.

We are excited to have Ascension Seton on our site, said Iva Wolf McLachlan, president of Wolf Lakes LP, the developer of Wolf Lakes Village, in the release. Ascension has an outstanding reputation and long history of providing high-quality medical care in Central Texas and the United States.

Ascension Seton bought the 12-acre site located in the southwest section of the Wolf Lakes Village site located at the intersection of I-35 and Hwy. 29.

The significant growth in the Georgetown area over the past five years has led to this investment at Wolf Lakes Village, and we look forward to serving individuals in Central Texas through this Ascension Seton expansion, said Ray Anderson, chief strategy officer at Ascension Texas, in the statement.

The city of Georgetown identified life science and health care as target industries, Mayor Dale Ross said this project will not only provide additional medical services to residents, but it is expected to create a significant number of high-paying jobs.

The Ascension Seton project is the first development for Wolf Lakes Village, a one-of-a-kind European Village on a rare in-fill tract strategically located near downtown Georgetown and the I-35 corridor, the release said. The projects master plan, first announced in 2018, calls for destination retail, first-class restaurants, hotels, cinema, multifamily, townhomes, and medical and Class A offices for several corporate campuses.

Other planned amenities on Wolf Lakes Village include an outdoor amphitheater, parks, lakes, sports court, ice-skating rink, a wedding chapel and event center.

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Ascension Seton to construct medical office building at Wolf Lakes Village in Georgetown - Community Impact Newspaper

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.

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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.

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

The Florida Times-Union Editorial Board| Florida Times-Union

Three Jacksonville hospitals ranked in the Top 20 of U.S. News & World Reports Best Hospital rankings released last week.

Mayo Clinic Jacksonville tied for first place in the state, while Baptist Health Jacksonville ranked 11th and Ascension St. Vincents Riverside was 19th.

This is just more evidence that Jacksonville is coming into its own as a health care hub.

All eyes are on the coronavirus, and many companies are stepping back from an uncertain economy, but Ascension is looking ahead.

Ascension St. Vincents has bought more than 33 acres at Interstate 95 and County Road 210 West for a 56-bed hospital in Nocatee. Construction on the $115 million hospital is expected to begin this fall and be completed by 2022.

It will create 600 jobs and offer emergency services, general surgery, short-term care, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and musculoskeletal care as well as lab and imaging services.

The hospital is expected to grow with Nocatee and could be expanded to 300 beds.

And Ascension also has an orthopedic specialty hospital on the drawing boards for the Ascension St. Vincents Southside campus Ascension Florida, Gulf Coast and Phoenix-based Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company, a partner with Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, which will provide the physicians.

It would be the first orthopedic specialty hospital in the region, and the project includes ambulatory surgical centers.

Ascension St. Vincents also has opened two emergency care centers recently, one near Collins Road on the Westside and another near Monument Road in Arlington.

Walmart is expanding its health care services to Florida, with a health center at one of its Jacksonville stores, though the location has not been announced. It will offer primary care, urgent care, imaging, labs, counseling, hearing and optical services.

And the University of North Florida is priming the pump as well, offering coaching for aspiring health care entrepreneurs. It will help them develop business plans, network and receive professional support to get their idea off the ground.

All of this means health care is becoming more accessible in Jacksonville. And it also means more career and business opportunities in health care.

Other areas of Jacksonville are becoming more accessible as well.

Better accessibility

A new shuttle service is available in Downtown, LaVilla, Brooklyn, Riverside and Avondale. It is a partnership between Jacksonville Transportation Authority and Go Tukn, a locally owned tour, private event and urban transportation company.

The pay-to-ride service began last month. Tukn Ride will use JTAs bus stops to pick up riders who reserve and pay through a mobile app. Rides start at $2.

The distinctive green and white vehicles are European, ecofriendly Tuk Tuks and a Tukn Bus for larger groups.

The Downtown-to-Avondale corridor is all about walkability and this new service will help residents and visitors explore the business districts and restaurants and reduce vehicular traffic.

Merchants are supporting the new service by offering discounts to riders.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the 14-passenger Tukn Bus has a lift for passengers in wheelchairs along with two specially designated areas. The Tukn Ride mobile app indicates which stop-to-stop rides are with the Tukn Bus.

All drivers complete thorough background screenings and must have a clean driving record. Due to the COVID-19 situation, drivers will wear face coverings and be responsible for enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures; hand sanitizer will be available on all Tukn Ride vehicles.

At Go Tukn we strongly believe if we help other businesses grow and prosper in the community we love, it will help drive innovation, bring more tourism to the area, and create a vibrant, thriving Urban Core, said owner Stephanie Dale in a news release.

Also, Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens now has a new ADA-accessible path along the lake. The South Loop Ravine Overlook is over 1,000 feet long and 10- feetwide covered in asphalt.

The project was made possible by donations that were matched by the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund.

Its great that more people will be able to explore this iconic urban forest and trail system

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Health care options are expanding in Jacksonville area - The Florida Times-Union

Michael Tortorich| Donaldsonville Chief

An interaction between an Ascension Parish Sheriffs deputy and a young boy has gone viral via social media in recent days.

As of the end of the week, users had shared the Facebook post more than 100 times. The photos and caption had more than 1,000 positive reactions and some 100 comments by July 26.

APSO Deputy Chet Chambless spotted young Cullen as he waved while the police car patrolled the neighborhood. Chambless flipped on his lights and siren for the smiling boy.

When Chambless found out Cullen had a brand new baby sister at home, he gathered together some fun stuff for Cullen to play with at home. He even returned to the house a few hours later with a gift bag of coloring books and crayons.

Cullens mom, Cassandra Sibenaller, shared the positive story on social media. She is the owner and president of Trende Marketing, and formerly served as vice president of commercial lending at United Community Bank.

She said Cullen had just turned 3 in June and his baby sister was born July 16.

He had been a big brother for just a couple of days, and so his dad took him for a walk through our neighborhood for a little alone time, she said. They saw the sheriffs car and waved, and Officer Chet flashed his lights and turned on his siren for them.

Sibenaller said Cullen was super thrilled by the experience of meeting the deputy.

Unfortunately when he stopped by later Cullen was napping, but he brought him a gift bag with lots of fun stuff, including a tattoo, magnet, pencils, bracelet, and badge, she said.

Cullen was excited by the whole experience, she added, and was appreciative of Chambless kindness.

It made his day to know he was being thought about and he keeps talking about the policeman, she said. We appreciate Officer Chet taking some extra time out of his busy day to make Cullen feel special.

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Ascension deputys visit with 3-year-old goes viral on social media - Weekly Citizen

NEWBURGH, Ind. (WEHT)- During the shutdowns, many women didnt get the crucial imaging needed to detect breast cancer a mammogram. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women.

Ascension St. Vincent hospitals are trying to make up for lost time by offering more time for women to get a life-saving test. When the pandemic started some screenings, like mammograms, were put on pause.

During that time more than 2,500 women in the St. Vincent group missed their scheduled time. Directors of St Vincent Breast Centers around the state realized how detrimental to patients health this could be, so Friday night, across the state, mammograms are being given after hours.

It is proven that early detection is truly the key to long term survival and cure, Sheila Hauck says. Shes the director of the Breast Center for Ascension St. Vincent in Warrick County. She along, with other directors around the state, had an idea, to make up for lost time, they extended their hours and became available to work around busy schedules.

Pam Kinney a recent breast center patient says she understands the need for extended hours, I work those same hours theyre open so it is sometimes hard to get there and I work with people who obviously encourage you do that and we make that work but some companies dont have that option.

Its easy to just sometimes forget about your own health, Hauck explains. And so this is one of the times where were really promoting wellness and early detection is the key for long-term survival.

Appointments after five in the evening opened up.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation predicts just this year there will be more than 276 thousand invasive breast cancer diagnoses and more than 42 thousand breast cancer deaths.

It is scary. Cancer is a very scary word. We know that but we also know that today in 2020 work hearing more people than ever. But Hauck and her team say theyre ready to help push through the scary parts. Come on in, were here to help you allay your fears and walk with you.

Patients will receive their results in about a week.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across theTri-State, follow Eyewitness News onFacebookandTwitter.

(This story was originally published on July 31, 2020)

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Special event held to promote womens breast health - Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW)

Tom VanOsdol, Guest columnist Published 9:41 a.m. CT July 31, 2020

COVID-19 has been an unprecedented challenge for everyone. Our nation has not faced such a daunting public health crisis since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.

Back then, the Daughters of Charity, who founded our health system in Pensacola and Mobile, quickly responded and emerged as unexpected heroes. Today, our healthcare heroes walk in their footsteps. Im extraordinarily grateful for all healthcare workers and particularly those with whom Im so blessed to serve. But we cant do this alone. We need your help.

COVID-19 is easily spread and can have devastating, long-lasting effects, but there are a few critical steps we can all take to reduce the risk of getting it or giving it:

We appreciate the efforts of local businesses and organizations that are implementing plans to curb COVID-19s spread, including mask and social distancing policies. I know these safety measures may seem uncomfortable, but we have a shared responsibility to care for others as if were caring for ourselves or our loved ones.

Again, get the care you need if you get sick, especially if its an emergency. Too often weve seen patients stay home during a health emergency because they were afraid to come to the hospital or their doctors office. Weve made changes to our sites of care to protect you from COVID-19, so dont delay the care you need.

We can and we must work together to beat COVID-19 by following these simple steps and listening to the advice of healthcare and infectious disease officials who provide us with proven techniques to help stop this serious, deadly virus from spreading.

Tom VanOsdol is president and CEO of Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast, which includes Ascension Providence based in Mobile, Ala., Ascension Sacred Heart based in Pensacola, Fla., and Ascension St. Vincents, based in Jacksonville, Fla.

Read or Share this story: https://www.pnj.com/story/opinion/2020/07/31/we-can-stop-covid-19-pensacola-but-weve-got-do-together-guestview/5554114002/

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We can stop COVID-19 in Pensacola. But we've got to do it together | Guestview - Pensacola News Journal

After a peculiar song-writing journey situated between New York and Monaghan, Ireland, Song Sung (comprised of Irish-born, America-based twins Georgina and Uni McGeough) have finally released their debut LP This Ascension is Ours.

With producer David Holmes producing and arranging tracks, then sending the audio files to the duo to write lyrics and record vocals over, its quite possible that these tracks have travelled more miles than many people. The resulting album is an atmospheric (which, whilst probably the most overused word in indie music reviews, truly does apply here), spooky, and eclectic collection of songs that do a better job of forming a whole than acting as individuals.

Opening with a Lovecraftian invitation to "Come to the water", slow, pounding drums, bass drops, and a menagerie of sound effects and samples range from occult to pop-esque. Its a memorable entrance to the album and effectively sets a tone for the horror-tinged, world-building record to come.

Most tracks stay within the same constructed soundscape but add variety through tone and structure. Telling Tales takes a more traditional song structure than its preceding opening track or following six-minute mini-epic Somewhere. With a weirdly anthemic chorus that's as catchy as it is ethereal, Telling Tales is perhaps one of the more accessible tracks on the record. Lead single Take Some Time and The Minds Eye also make good cases for this title also but arent executed quite as well.

Whilst the duo form typically structured, accessible songs with ease, they undoubtedly shine brightest when allowed to truly veer off into their art-inspired fantasies. Album standout Testimony of Tears combines all elements of the album well, with a post-rock-inspired structure lending itself incredibly well to reverb-laden, breathy vocals, a simple but prominent running bass line and slowly-uplifting instrumentation, all of which combust in a crescendo of atmosphere and sound before fading into nothing.

One caveat with this album is that despite its modest ten-track listing, it feels a little bloated - with running time reaching an hour, the average song length is between 5-6 minutes long. For a group that are still crafting a unique, unrefined sound, this feels like overexposure.

However, This Ascension Is Ours paints a distinctive atmosphere in a genre where many try but fail to craft a sound specific to themselves, accomplishing an interesting and astonishingly unusual composition. This must be applauded, but the goal now for the group is to build something more on the foundation this album has created for them.

This Ascension Is Ours is out this Friday (31st July) viaNight Time Stories Ltd.

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In Review: Song Sung This Ascension is Ours - GigList

Posted: Jul 20, 2020 / 12:08 PM CDT / Updated: Jul 20, 2020 / 12:08 PM CDT

AMARILLO, Texas (PRESS RELEASE) Ascension Academy will be reopening with in-person instruction for both the middle and high school this fall. The reopening plan was developed based on feedback from parents, several meetings with administration and Faculty, advice from a parent who is a medical doctor, and guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS), and others.

Screening will be conducted before students are allowed inside the building to check for high temperatures and any COVID-19 symptoms. Students will then be instructed to immediately go to their lockers and first period classes. Masks will be required by students, staff and visitors. Teachers will be provided with clear face shields to wear during instruction while keeping a distance of six feet from students.

Ascension Academy fully intends to open in Fall with in-person instruction, said Head of School Tim Oditt. We are planning internally to do just that with the fullest commitment to the safety of each of our students and staff members. The importance of in-person education cannot be overstated and Ascension is committed to living its mission of providing an exemplary college preparatory education in a challenging, faith-affirming environment to maximize the potential of every student.

To promote social distancing, classrooms will be rearranged to provide the maximum distance possible between students. School assemblies and all school gatherings outside of emergency drills have been cancelled or will be held online. Ascension will follow all guidelines established by TAPPS with regard to the ability to return to play athletics. More information will be provided to parents as TAPPS updates roll out.

Cleaning and sanitation will be a top priority around the clock, and high touch points such as desks, door knobs, and bathrooms will be sanitized continuously throughout the day. Lunch will be spread out between the gym, theatre stage and cafeteria and all areas will be cleaned between middle school and high school lunch periods. Deep sanitation will occur nightly with the use of the Clorox Total 360 System, which kills 99.9% of bacteria in five seconds, including the sides and underneath of hard to clean surfaces such as desks and chairs.

In addition to the extra cleaning and health measures, Ascension has added two weeks of instruction into their academic calendar. The days will give flexibility throughout the year in the event of local or state mandated shut down of schools. These days of instruction will include Labor Day, Columbus Day, the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, and the first week in June. If the additional days are not used, Ascension will end school on the originally scheduled day in May.

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Ascension Academy to Return In-Person this Fall - KAMR - MyHighPlains.com

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.

And now other parish officials are eyeing grabbing what might be trimmed from that taxing level for roads.

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. 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 library's push to cut its own tax rate is a 180-degree turn from a decade ago.

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. 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

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

ESPN.com has released their top 300 juniors for this season. One of the 2022 recruits named comes from right here in Ascension Parish.

As the football season approaches, we continue to hear about the top recruits in the 2021 class, but in recruiting, seniors aren't the only prospects getting attention from college programs.

Many of the top recruits in the 2022 class have also been coming to the forefront.

ESPN.com has released their top 300 juniors for this season. One of the 2022 recruits named comes from right here in Ascension Parish.

That prospect is Ascension Catholic's J'Mond Tapp. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Tapp has been ranked by ESPN.com as the 172nd-best player in the 2022 recruiting class.

Overall, they give Tapp a rating of 82. To put that into context, ESPN.com's top-ranked recruit in 2022 is Southlake, Texas's Quinn Ewers. The quarterback has a rating of 92.

The website ranks Tapp as the eighth-best player in Louisiana for 2022. They also rank him as the 26th-best junior defensive end in the country.

Tapp is graded out as a four-star prospect by ESPN.

Tapp became a key component on Ascension Catholic's 2018 squad that reached the state title game. He was just a freshman.

That Bulldog team went 9-1 during the regular season.

This past season, under first-year head coach Benny Saia, Tapp became Ascension Catholic's starting defensive end on defense and their starting tight end on offense. He excelled at both positions.

Tapp was named both first-team All-District 7-1A and first-team All-Parish as both a defensive end and tight end.

The Bulldogs went undefeated during the regular season. That was a first for the program in more than 50 years.

They went on to reach the state quarterfinals, before being eliminated by Southern Lab.

But football isn't the only sport where Tapp has flourished. He's a terrific athlete that has also played well for the Bulldog basketball squad.

Tapp is a two-year starter. In both years, he has helped lead Ascension Catholic to the playoffs. In 2018, they reached the quarterfinals.

Last season, Tapp was named the District 7-1A Defensive MVP, and he was a second-team All-Parish selection.

He has yet to play his junior football season at Ascension Catholic, but he has already garnered scholarship offers from multiple "Power Five" programs. Tapp has received offers from Baylor, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Kansas.

Some of those football programs have already been represented in Ascension over the past decade.

In 2013, Dutchtown's Shelby Christy signed with Mississippi State. In 2017, East Ascension's Justin Harris signed with Baylor, and this past season, East Ascension's Steven McBride signed with Kansas.

Ascension Catholic football has had multiple players sign with college programs over the past two years.

In 2018, linebacker Bubba Gautreaux signed with Louisiana College, while defensive lineman Dillion Davis signed with Nicholls.

This past season, running back Jai Williams also signed with Nicholls, while offensive lineman Nick Hilliard signed with Princeton.

Tremendous uncertainly surrounds this upcoming football season, but if the season is played, Tapp and the Bulldogs will be seeking a second straight District 7-1A championship and their fifth straight appearance in at least the state quarterfinals.

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Bulldog junior ranked among the best in the nation - Beauregard Daily News