Daily Archives: June 2, 2021

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) Ascension is eliminating on-site jobs in Indiana and outsourcing them to a contactor based in India instead.

A few of the now former employees told I-Team 8 they were asked to train their replacements.

Monty Teague was a supervisor in the IT department at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital on the north side of Indianapolis. Patients never saw his department, but doctors, nurses and other health care professionals relied on him to do their jobs.

Weknew we were not doctors, but I always told my guys that we were like the guys in the engine room and we are keeping that ship running. We are making those patients able to be fixed. We are giving the doctors the support they need. We will never be seen, but we are the underneath foundation that is running theship,Teague said.

Teague says he was told Ascension was outsourcing or eliminating most of the on-site IT positions at the hospital. As a manager, it was his job to tell his team the news.

[It]is one of the hardest things there is to do, Teague said. You havent done anything wrong but your job is gone.Ihad to do that in the very first round and then they got me, my boss did the same tome. Its justsad.

According topubliclyavailable company financial statements, their bottom line has taken a hit during the pandemic. Marty Pieratt of Indiana Universitys Kelley School of Business says companies looking to cut costs go after salaries first.

I thinkpoliticians liketo say, We have the jobs all coming back here, but the truth is,I think they are still going andIthink they still will go. When anybody thinksof wherethey are going to save money on their bottom line and look better on their financial statements, the quickest, easiest is taking people off the payroll Pieratt said.

Teague says more cuts to the IT staff are coming later this summer. He understands sometimes hard decisions have to be made, but he expected a different approach working for a catholic hospital.

Weused to call them ministries. That is what you called them, ministries, instead of hospitals. And the reason is because you wereministeringto the sick and poor and part of that ministry is to bring them into theChristianfamily. And that is totally gone now. They are not ministries; they are for profit for a few people at thetop, he said.

I-Team 8 reached out to Ascension several times for anexplanationon why they choose to outsource thesepositions. The company never responded to phone calls or emails.

Link:

Layoffs hit Ascension Health, former employees want to know why - WISHTV.com

ASCENSION The waterline is finally falling after two weeks of stagnant flooding, but it's not dropping fast enough to ease the fears of people in parts of Ascension Parish.

Along Ridge Rd., water still lingers near homes.

One of the homes still facing water is one belonging to David Braud. It took on water in the May 17 deluge. Water rose and stuck around for days. He even had to start cleaning out his home while there was still water inside.

I saw when it was going to stop rising and I cut the sheetrock and started taking the floor out, said Braud.

There is still water filling his backyard, but Braud has seen the water level off and now, begin to fall. The parish is operating seven pumps on Alligator Bayou Road and cut the road at Fish Bayou to drain the Spanish Lake and Bluff Swamp basin last week.

It definitely helps, but there is still a lot of water in this swamp, Braud said.

And, with more rain in the forecast, Braud is worried.

Yeah, Im going to worry because if it rains enough, [the parish] is going to close those cuts and if Bayou Manchac gets high [the water] will come back in here, said David Braud.

Parish work crews are stationed near the cut on Alligator Bayou in case they need to backfill the road. The parish plans to build a permanent flood structure with a lock and gate system.

Tuesday, the parish said in a statement, the work is weather and water-level dependent, of course, but construction will begin in the foreseeable future.

I hope they can come up with a solution that can at least give us a little more peace of mind, said Braud.

Until then, Braud will continue working to clean out his home.

Were just living day by day. Itll be a while before we get back in the house but we have a place to stay and were going to make it, said Braud.

He and many others in his neighborhood are having to live at the mercy of Mother Nature.

There is a drainage meeting next week in Ascension. A group of homeowners who live on Range Rd. plan to attend to ask the parish to come up with more solutions to prevent future flooding.

Original post:

Homeowners seeing signs of hope but still concerned about prolonged flooding in Ascension - WBRZ

With spring practices ending, that typically means the end of another school year. It certainly was not a typical spring practice setting for all our teams in the parish.

St Amant, Dutchtown, Ascension Christian and Ascension Catholic all chose to add an extra week to fall practice and not go through spring drills. Ascension Catholic has a new coach in longtime defensive coordinator Chris Schexnayder. Another big change will be the installation of turf fields in the parish, the fields are scheduled to be ready for late August.

The Donaldsonville Tigers ended spring practice with only four of the 10 days outside, due to heavy rains. That did not stop the Tigers from having a successful spring game against Livonia. Tiger head coach Brian Richardson was pleased with his teams performance.

We played a very physical game with Livonia, both teams ran the ball well and each team showed promise in the passing game, coach Richardson said.

Tiger standouts included senior quarterback Treveyon Brown, he will be starting for his third straight year and ran the offense with poise. Senior slot receiver Daimar Robinson led the team with all-purpose yards. The Tigers lose 1000-yard rusher Raeland Johnson, but return junior Robert Kent, who is an explosive player. Randell Oatis has some big runs and was the second-leading rusher.

Senior Jamarcus Miller led in receiving yards. Freshmen Blake Turner was a nice surprise carrying the ball for the Tigers. Sophomore Raiyen Oatis took some snaps at QB and had some long runs. The Tiger defense was led by Maliek Robertson and Lawrence Forcell.

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We need to tackle better, but Livonia had some really good backs. On offense, we need to continue to spread the ball around, sustain our blocks and execute, Richardson said.

The East Ascension Spartans wrapped up their spring drills with a 14-7 win over Denham Springs. Coach Darnell Lee returns a veteran team that is poised to go deep in the playoffs. According to Lee, his team practiced hard and must mature quickly due to an always-tough schedule. Standouts on the offense were running backs Walter Samuel and Jacorey Johnson.

One of the top athletes in the parish returns in Zhavier Jupiter. Tight end Jaquel Mack had a good spring catching and blocking. Quarterback Troy Dunn returns and has big-game experience.

Samuels has beefed up to 200 pounds and has gotten stronger. Johnson has been the surprise of camp. Our offensive line will be led by 6-6 tackle Jayven Richardson and guard/tackle Lajaden Jackson, said Lee said.

The Spartan defense returns a deep group led by Keith Thomas, who was a ballhawk at safety. The defensive line was led by Thomas Lee Jr., Alex Lambert and Sydney Joseph. The Spartans return arguably the best kicker in the parish in Evan Kern; he was perfect on his two extra points and just missed a 49-yard field goal.

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While some Ascension Parish football team skipped spring games, others test their teams - The Advocate

Donaldsonville celebrates Juneteenth

The Donaldsonville Music Festival Celebrating Freedom starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 5, at the Frank Sotile Pavilion. The musical lineup includes DJ Mario, DJ Thriller, Red Tape Musiq, Universal Language and the Michael Foster Project ends the day at 6 p.m.

At 4 p.m., the Little Miss Juneteenth, Miss and Teen Miss Juneteenth queens will be crowned.

The monthly USDA Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans Food for Seniors program will distribute 40-pound boxes of commodity for Ascension Parish over 60 Tuesday at St. Theresa of Avila Catholic Church Food Pantry's parking lot, 1022 N. Burnside Ave., Gonzales and Wednesday at the Frank Sotile Pavilion, 2162 Thibaut Drive, Donaldsvonille. Both distributions will be drive-thrus and the time is 7 a.m.-10 a.m. at both locations.

Seniors must be or will be at least 60 years old in June and meet federal income guidelines. New participants should bring Louisiana ID, income documentation and arrive no later than 9:30 am. Call toll free at (800) 522-3333 if you need more information or to verify your qualification.

Want to learn about amateur radio operations? The Ascension Amateur Radio Club will be participating in the national amateur radio Field Day exercise on June 2627 at Cabelas in Gonzales.

Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of amateur radio.

On June 26, the event is from noon to 9 p.m. and on June 27, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Ham radio functions completely independent of the internet or cellphone infrastructure, can interface with laptops or smartphones, and can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. Thats the beauty of amateur radio during a communications outage, says Elmer Tatum, N5EKF, of the Ascension Amateur Radio Club.

AARCs sole service agency is the Ascension Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

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For more information about Field Day or amateur radio, contact aarc@k5arc.com or visit http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio.

Join the Ascension Parish library staff in Gonzales at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 12, for stories about Louisianas food culture with Poppy Tooker, author, food personality and radio host. Tooker, a New Orleans native, is passionate about Louisiana food and the people who bring it to the table. She has aa weekly NPR affiliated radio show, "Louisiana Eats!"

A book signing featuring several of her titles will follow the presentation.

Registration is required. Call (225) 647-3955 to register. Masks are recommended. Space may be limited.

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Around Ascension for June 2, 2021 | Ascension | theadvocate.com - The Advocate

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ASCENSION - Deputies are trying to identify two suspects responsible for around 20 vehicle burglaries Saturday night.

The burglaries occurred at several hotels in Donaldsonville and St. James between the hours of 10 p.m. and midnight.

"You have persons traveling through like myself, you think you are getting a peaceful night's rest, and then you wake up to mayhem in the morning," hotel guest Sharelle Lacey-Gibson said.

The suspects are seen on surveillance video walking up to vehicles and punching out the windows, removing valuables from the cars.

Authorities say the suspects were in an older model white Toyota Camry.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office at 225-621-4636 or call Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP.

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Ascension and St. James deputies looking for two suspects involved in recent string of vehicle burglaries - WBRZ

Taxpayer bailouts and massive gains from Wall Street investments helped Ascension the largest tax-exempt hospital system in the country glide through the coronavirus pandemic.

Why it matters: Dominant hospital chains like Ascension really haven't had to worry about their financial status during the pandemic, unlike smaller hospitals and safety-net systems, in part because those chains already accumulated massive rainy day funds over the years.

By the numbers: Patients still aren't going to Ascension's hospitals and doctors' offices as much as they were before the pandemic. But the Catholic system is still making a surplus from patient care as it treats sicker people, according to its most recent financial disclosure.

What they're saying: Ascension told its bondholders that the pandemic has cost the system "$1.9 billion in lost revenue and pandemic-related expenses," and that although the federal grants didn't completely cover that amount, it was "able to absorb the remaining negative financial impact through other operations."

Between the lines: Ascension is essentially a hedge fund that also happens to run hospitals and other care facilities.

Go deeper: Hospitals are making a fortune on Wall Street

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Ascension has weathered the pandemic just fine - Axios

Owlcat Games has released an 'Ascension Trailer' forPathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, highlighting a major characterAreelu Vorlesh -the Architect of the Worldwound -in a comic-book style video.

You can check it out below, along with a recent Kickstarter update for the game.. For more information, you can check out the announcement information and combat gameplay trailer.

Hello Crusaders!

We are hoping you are enjoying the beta version of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. If you want to share your thoughts with the Owlcat team, please joinour discord, where we have a special chat in the beta section, just for your feedback! Wed love to read what you think.

But now lets talk about someone you may have met in the game already. The most hated person in all Mendev, one of the most powerful and dangerous spellcasters on Golarion, a half-fiend responsible for countless deaths - Areelu Vorlesh, the Architect of the Worldwound.

Despite Areelus infamy, little is actually known about her. Some say that back in Sarkoris she was a powerful mage, who was arrested by Sarkorian witch hunters for practicing arcane magic, and thrown into the prison meant only for the most dangerous of casters - the Threshold. There Areelu somehow managed to open the rift between Golarion and the Abyss which became eventually known as the Worldwound, and initiated the demonic invasion of Golarion.

Now whenever something sinister happens, such as a crucial crusader victory suddenly turning into the ashes of a crushing defeat - Areelu can be seen on the battlefield. What is her plan? What is she trying to achieve?

Will you be the one to answer the questions that have been gnawing at the crusaders for almost a hundred of years?

Watch our new trailer, which you helped create during our Community Quest, and meet Areelu Vorlesh, the Architect of the Worldwound.

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Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Ascension Trailer - RPG Site

The Amite River, Amite River Diversion Canal, Tickfaw River and all other waterways in Ascension and Livingston parishes will reopen 6 a.m. Friday, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

Officials in both parishes announced Thursday afternoon that the waterways would be reopened early Friday after they were closed the morning of May 18.

Intense, heavy rain that dropped upwards of 14 inches in less than 24 hours early last week caused flash flooding and quickly led waterways to rise.

Brandi Janes, Livingston homeland security director, said water levels are expected to have dropped down to safe enough levels by Friday morning.

Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment made a similar announcement Thursday.

Ascension and Livingston share the Amite River and Amite Diversion Canal. Both are popular boating areas on the weekend and during holidays.

The parishes previously closed waterways last month, also due to heavy rains.

Officials in Ascension warned boaters to be "mindful of areas where high water remains, passing structures at idle-only speed, and to also be alert for floating debris and submerged objects."

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Waterways in Ascension, Livingston to reopen Friday ahead of big weekend - The Advocate

EVANSVILLE, INDIANA (WEHT) Officials at Ascension St. Vincent said traditionally, getting a patient admitted to a catheterization lab for a heart attack could make for a lengthy process.

EMS arrives and assesses the patient, does an EKG, and usually diagnoses the heart attack in the field. Then the patient is transported to the emergency department where theyre diverted into the emergency department, another EKG is performed, and the patient is assessed by the ER doctor, Dr. A.J. Voelkel, interventional cardiologist at the hospital, said.

But the hospital is now working with EMS workers across the tristate to cut down the time it takes to get a patient into the catheterization lab. Theyre removing some of the emergency room time through the use of an app. Eyewitness News was taken along for the ride in a simulated situation showcasing what actually would happen if EMS responded to a call where the patient was showing symptoms of a heart attack.

We were able to use that data through the E-Bridge app that we have hooked up with St. Vincent, send the information to the hospital, which then alerts the ER which called for a cath lab to be ready, paramedic Tim Vollmer told Eyewitness News.

Officials said this then solidifies that partnership between EMS and other hospital staff.

It allows them to see what we see. It allows them to understand what were trying to tell them in a more realistic manner, Vollmer said.

Voelkel said this most importantly provides better care to patients by cutting down on the time it takes to get them to proper care.

The quicker we can get the patient care, quicker we get that artery open, the better they are, Voelkel said.

Eyewitness News also contacted Deaconess Health officials who said they also use the same app in their emergency rooms.

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Ascension St. Vincent Evansville begins usage of app to better help heart attack patients - Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW)

IBERVILLE PARISH Both Ascension and Iberville Parish are using extra tools to help drain Spanish Lake.

The backwater has been stuck in neighborhoods in Geismar, Prairieville and St. Gabriel since last Monday. Until the levels go down, homeowners cant escape the water.

This is the third time Daisy Comeaux has had to deal with standing water creeping up to her home and quilt shop near St. Gabriel.

The store is closed, and it will be closed for further notice, Comeaux said.

Water from Spanish Lake is covering the walkway to her store Cottage Creations and Quilts.

"We're paying for drainage taxes, and nothing is being done. The AquaDams get put up, but we still flood. All of the neighbors have to sandbag, Comeaux said.

Wednesday morning, parish officials put new relief efforts in place. The Iberville Parish President was able to open up three flood gates on Manchac Road. They were rebuilt after the 2016 flood to move water from Spanish Lake to Bayou Manchac.

"It's a $3.5 million gate that, in a 24-hour period, is taking 485 million of gallons of water into Manchac and getting out of here, Iberville Parish President Mitch Ourso said.

Ourso says, each day, an inch and a half or two inches of water will leave the Iberville side of the road.

"It's a slow process, but it is flowing, Ourso said.

Just up the road, water is also flowing out of Spanish Lake through pumps into Bayou Manchec in Ascension Parish. The goal was to have six pumps in operation, but Parish President Clint Cointment said they have come across some challenges installing them. So at the end of the week, the parish is going to cut through Alligator Bayou Road at Fish Bayou for additional drainage.

"We're working for the same goal to protect our people, Ourso said.

Comeaux hopes these efforts will get rid of the standing water near her home and business.

"This is not what we want the new normal for 2021. This needs to be over with, Comeaux said.

She said she can't wait until people can get back inside her quilt shop.

This is my income, and it's something to look forward to for our quilting community, she said.

Iberville Parish also deployed 13,000 feet of AquaDam. Those will be decommissioned in the next five to six days. Around 140 homes flooded in Iberville Parish.

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Iberville and Ascension Parish work to drain Spanish Lake basin - WBRZ