Daily Archives: January 7, 2022

Retiring Republican Senators Won’t Back Voting Rights With Nothing to Lose – Esquire

Posted: January 7, 2022 at 5:11 am

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It looks like the rubber is going to meet the road in the Senate on voting rights sometime next week. And almost all of the attention has been directed toward Democratic senators Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, who are standing in the way of reforming the filibuster. But Id like to direct the spotlight toward five revolting, abject cowards on the other side of the aisle: to wit, Senators Richard Shelby, Richard Burr, Roy Blunt, Rob Portman, and Pat Toomey. All of them are Republicans. All of them have announced that they will not be running for re-election.

In July of 2006, the Senate reauthorized the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by a count of 98-0. Among those 98 votes were the votes of Senators Shelby, Burr, and Blunt. If all three of these people announced that they were voting to restore the protections that they voted for in 2006, then everybody could tell Sinema and Manchin to pound sand and pass the voting-rights bills currently before the Senate. But theres no indication that any of the five retirees plan to do anything else but stand in solidarity with their vote-suppressing brethren.

They have no excuse. None of them is likely to run again for anything, so there is no sanction that the former president* and his agitated base can drop on them. Presumably, after many years in the Senate, theyre all independently wealthy. Theres no financial incentive for them to vote the way they are likely to vote. They literally have nothing to loseexcept their spines, which they apparently put into cold storage in 2017 anyway. All one can conclude is that none of them really supported the VRA in the first place, but none of them wanted to stand out on the previous reauthorization roll calls, all of which were going to be lopsided, so voting against it would be conspicuous and embarrassing.

However, in 2013, in the case of Shelby County v. Holder, Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts declared the Day of Jubilee and led the gutting of the VRA. That gave everybody clearance to let their vote-suppressing freak flag fly, including, apparently, these five under-the-radar chickenshits. I mean, Portmans even supposed to be a moderate, as though that word has any meaning at all anymore. Manchin and Sinema are supposed to be moderates, too. God save us from all of them.

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Retiring Republican Senators Won't Back Voting Rights With Nothing to Lose - Esquire

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We just have to limit the damage that he’s causing: Republican governor on risk Trump poses to a party that otherwise teems with 2022 confidence -…

Posted: at 5:11 am

WASHINGTON (AP) This time last year, the Republican Party was hitting bottom. Having already lost the presidency and House, the GOP would soon squander its Senate majority and watch with horror as thousands of Donald Trumps supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent attack last Jan. 6 that will be forever linked to the Republican presidents legacy.

What a difference 12 months make. Entering a pivotal election year, a resurgent GOP appears poised to reclaim one chamber, or even both chambers, of Congress and retain its lock on dozens of state legislatures and governors offices.

While victory is far from assured, the GOPs confidence is fueled by President Joe Bidens underwhelming poll numbers, a Democratic economic and social agenda thats , intensifying concerns about inflation, and deepening frustration with the pandemic, which is unleashing yet another wave of infections upon an exhausted nation.

Every state that Biden won by less than 10 is now a battleground state.

But at its most basic level, the Republican Partys optimism is born of the same political headwinds that have shaped U.S. politics for decades. The party that controls the White House Democrats, in this case has a tremendous disadvantage in the first election of a new presidency. Adding to that challenge, Democrats are struggling to prevent a far-reaching Republican campaign to make voting more difficult for core Democratic constituents while installing a slate of election officials allied with Trump.

From the archives (August 2021): House Democrats call on McCarthy to apologize for remark about hitting Pelosi

GOP leaders are brimming with confidence.

Were going to have a hell of a year, said Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who leads the national GOPs Senate campaign arm. Every state that Biden won by less than 10 is now a battleground state.

From the archives (January 2021): Kevin McCarthy becomes poster boy for Republicans walking back their recent Trump criticism

Lest there be any doubt, Republicans dominated the off-year elections this fall across Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, where Democrats in races from governor to county recorder of deeds were defeated or barely held on in regions that Biden had comfortably carried by more than 10 percentage points a year earlier. Perhaps most disturbing for Democrats, suburban voters and independents who fled Trumps Republican Party in recent years to some degree appeared to have shifted back without him on the ballot.

Democratic strategists privately concede that the party will be lucky to hold either congressional chamber in November, although the House may be in the most immediate peril.

They point to the surge of recent Democratic congressional retirements, dozens of Republican-controlled state legislatures that are actively reshaping House districts in the GOPs favor, a struggle to enact all of Bidens campaign promises, and a disengaged political base especially African Americans. Their priorities on policing and voting rights have gone unfulfilled in Democratic-controlled Washington, even after last years supposed national awakening on race.

Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said too many Americans believe the country is moving in the wrong direction. But he attributes the pessimism to lingering anxiety from a pandemic that will soon enter its third year.

With new COVID-19 medication coming onto the market and expanded vaccine access for children, he predicted the country would return to a sense of normalcy by the end of March.

We know that the economy is roaring is some aspects. But its about how you feel at this moment, Harrison said, noting that many people are still grappling with fear and anxiety. I believe in the midst of the first quarter, end of the first quarter, that feeling will start to shift.

Market Extra: The S&P 500 rang up 68 records in Bidens 1st year? Heres how stock-market returns stack up for the 46th president against others.

GOP challenges: While Republicans believe the dynamics work in their favor, they face their own formidable challenges. Democrats believe that GOP efforts to curb access to the ballot, combined with a Supreme Court decision expected next summer that could dramatically erode or dismantle abortion rights, could suddenly galvanize Democrats most loyal supporters.

But for the GOP, perhaps no challenge is bigger than Trump himself.

The former president has waged an unprecedented war against fellow Republicans whom he deems insufficiently loyal, encouraging primary challenges against sitting members of Congress and governors in more than a dozen states. At the same time, some Republican operatives fear that Trumps continued lies about election fraud could depress turnout among the millions of loyalists who believe his baseless conspiracy theories.

See: Trump backs Alaska Gov. Dunleavy for re-election as long as Dunleavy doesnt support fellow Republican Murkowskis re-election to Senate

We just have to limit the damage that hes causing, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who sits on the executive board of the Republican Governors Association.

If we have big battles in primaries, either were going to nominate people who are unelectable in purple states or swing districts, or were going to beat up our incumbents so bad that they lose the general election, added Hogan. He isnt seeking re-election because of term limits but plans to travel the country promoting Republican officeholders in Trumps crosshairs.

That includes Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington State, and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski. The most vulnerable may be officeholders such as Herrera Beutler, who was among 10 House Republicans voting to impeach Trump for inspiring the January attack on the Capitol.

Two of the 10 have already announced theyre not seeking re-election.

Republican officials tasked with leading the GOPs 2022 election efforts are disturbed by Trumps sustained attacks on fellow party members, although few are willing to speak out publicly against him. Instead, Republican candidates in Arizona, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and elsewhere are battling each other in increasingly nasty primary contests for Trumps favor.

We are the tortoise, and [Republicans] are the hare. I dont want to do anything to deprive them of the overconfidence that will lead them to take a nap while we go slowly chugging by them.

With the primary election season running from March through September, GOP infighting is likely to dominate the narrative for months even as Trumps role in national politics probably still continues to grow.

He considers himself his partys kingmaker. Hes expected to play a more active campaign role next year after shying away from high-profile governors races this past fall in Virginia and New Jersey, where hes unpopular among suburban voters.

From the archives (October 2021): Republican gubernatorial candidate skips Take Back Virginia Rally featuring Trump, Bannon and others

Already, Trump has endorsed 60-plus Republican candidates and plans to weigh in on dozens more contests. That including Missouris combative Senate primary in which conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt recently begged Trump not to endorse Eric Greitens, a divisive former governor.

Context: Republicans fear a win by disgraced former Missouri governor Greitens in primary would gift wrap Senate seat for Democrats

Headwinds for Democrats: Even if Trumps politics hurt his party over the coming months, history suggests it may not matter. Just once this century has the party holding the White House not lost congressional seats in the first midterm election of a new presidency. That was in 2002, after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Democrats lost 54 seats in the House and eight in the Senate under President Bill Clinton in 1994. They lost 63 House seats and another six Senate seats under President Barack Obama in 2010. In 2018, Republicans lost 40 House seats under Trump, while gaining a pair in the Senate.

Republican-controlled legislatures have aided the GOPs potential House fortunes by drawing new congressional districts that are even more favorable to the party, including in Iowa, Texas and North Carolina, where with legal challenges still pending at least two new districts will be safely Republican.

From the archives (November 2021): I know you dont like me, but thats OK: Republican leader McCarthy holds forth for 8 hours on House floor amid Democratic ridicule

Democratic legislators could pad their own advantages in places such as New York, but the GOP is positioned to help its standing elsewhere far more.

Redistricting will not affect the Senate landscape, where Republicans have to defend 20 seats compared with 14 for the Democrats. Thats a positive for Democrats, but six of the top Senate contests are playing out it states Biden won by no more than two percentage points or lost, including Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

Beyond congressional races, the stakes are especially high for Democrats in statehouses. Republican-run legislatures from Texas to Georgia have enacted laws making it more difficult to vote in response to Trumps false claims of voter fraud a shift thats expected to have a disproportionate effect on Democratic-leaning African Americans and Latinos.

Democratic governors will be playing defense in much-watched Michigan and Wisconsin, and trying to hold an open seat in Pennsylvania. All three races are probably Democrats best chance to slow the GOPs years-long ascendancy in the industrial heartland. But the GOP currently controls the governors office in 27 states, compared with Democrats 23, with 36 up nationwide in 2022.

If Republicans win in Michigan, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin while holding those state legislatures, the GOP would take total control of state government in those critical Midwestern battlegrounds that Biden narrowly won. That could give Republicans the power to change voting procedures in the next presidential contest, as their colleagues have in other states.

Prominent Black leaders have become increasingly concerned with the Democratic-controlled Congresss inability to enact federal legislation to supersede restrictive state laws. Senate Republicans have effectively blocked such efforts, while Democrats have resisted calls to bypass Senate rules that require at least 60 votes to advance legislation.

Many Black voters, a group that represents Democrats most reliable supporters, are equally frustrated by the partys inability to enact policing reform in response to the national outcry that followed George Floyds murder more than a year ago.

We have to do more: Yes, we have to do more, and we want it to be faster, said Stacey Abrams, a Democrat making her second bid for Georgia governor. She said Democrats must have deep conversations with the Black community not preaching, but having conversations about whats being done and what its going to take to get more done.

I understand why people are despondent right now. This has been a terrible two years, Abrams said of the broader political landscape. Its been hard for so many. And the promise of hope can be sometimes disappointing. But this is going to take a while. It took four years to get us where we are. Its going to take a little longer than a year to get us out of it.

See: Stacey Abrams calls for congressional voting-rights action ahead of second race for governor in Georgia

At the same time, top national Republicans, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, his partys only Black senator, are leading a national GOP effort to prioritize electing more women and candidates of color to state-level offices.

Republicans made unexpected gains with Latino voters in many parts of the country in 2020, and Virginia provided hints that some minority voters are sticking with the party even without Trump running. Republican Winsome Sears, who is Black and a former Marine, was the first woman of color elected as the states lieutenant governor. Jason Miyares will become the states first Latino attorney general.

While Democrats will feature far more minority incumbents and candidates on 2022 House and Senate ballots, former NFL running back Herschel Walker, who is Black, has been endorsed by Trump in Georgias Republican Senate primary despite allegations of a violent past, including threatening his former wife with a gun.

The winning formula is getting people who are from Main Street. We look for the best candidates that are out there and we allow the districts that they want to represent select them, said Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, head of the House Republican campaign arm. I think thats whats changed around here, rather than having Washington say, This is the right person for the seat.

Abortion politics: Despite disturbing signs as 2022 begins, some Democrats insist there is cause for optimism. The pandemic, the economy and inflation will be critical factors to the partys success. But no issue may be bigger than a looming Supreme Court decision on abortion rights. The conservative-leaning court is considering whether to weaken or even overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion across America.

Democrats are hopeful that a major shift on the politically charged case would help rally suburban women to their side voters who lifted the party in 2018, though polling this year hasnt been conclusive.

We are the tortoise and they are the hare, said New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, head of the House Democratic campaign arm. I dont want to do anything to deprive them of the overconfidence that will lead them to take a nap while we go slowly chugging by them.

Washington Watch: Bidens biggest challenges in 2022? Convincing Americans the United States is on the right track, winning the economy battle, analysts say.

For now, however, the numbers are daunting for Democrats. Just 33% of Americans say things in the country are on the right track, according to a recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. Sixty-six percent say things are headed in the wrong direction. Thats a stark departure from the first few months of Bidens term, when roughly half said things were going the right way.

About one-third of Americans call national economic conditions good, down from roughly half last March. Only 41% say they approve of Bidens stewardship, down from 60% in March.

See: Consumer confidence shows some resilience in December

Also: U.S. leading economic indicators jump in November signaling growth momentum will continue into next year

Even though the diagnostics are pretty tough for the president and Democrats, its not because they love Republicans. The Republican Party has terrible standing with the American people, said John Anzalone, the pollster for Bidens presidential campaign. This isnt people defaulting to Republicans because they like them. And that can catch up to them as the environment changes.

I have to remind people that there will probably be, what, $6 billion spent on this election cycle, and well spend $3 billion, Anzalone continued. We have something to say.

Read on: Chicago regions economy grows faster in December and points to still-vigorous U.S. expansion

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Longtime Meals on Wheels program helped by Ascension – Bradford Era

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For more than 50 years, the Meals on Wheels program has provided nutritious meals to the elderly and disabled in their homes throughout McKean County.

When the program, which has been operated by Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) for the past several years, didnt receive a much-needed grant to cover the cost of operation, coordinators were not sure what to do next.

Fortunately, help came from the Church of Ascension in Bradford which has been known for feeding the community both spiritually and physically for a number of years.

When we heard that Meals on Wheels had a budget deficit due to a grant falling through, it was a no-brainer that Ascension would want to help out said Rev. Stacey Fussell, Rector.

Making sure folks are fed physically as well as spiritually is a big part of what we do. The fact that we learned of the need shortly after the death of our beloved parishioner, Bill Walb, made it especially meaningful to be able to honor his memory by helping the program he was part of for over 40 years.

Fussell said Walb not only drove and delivered meals, but also recruited drivers, served on the board and followed the program from its operations at the American Red Cross to the YWCA Bradford and finally to BRMC.

She said the gift is also given in honor of Walbs Meals on Wheels partner and wife, Marlene, and Ascensions Senior Warden and longtime BRMC Volunteer Coordinator, Stacy Shotts Williams.

Fussell noted that Ascension, which was financially able to cover the funds needed for Meals on Wheels, is thankful to the generosity of church leaders.

The churchs investments did very well this past year and we chose to pass that blessing along. I was so thrilled and proud that the churchs leadership (vestry) decided to cover the entire $30,000 shortfall for the Meals on Wheels 2021 program, Fussell explained.

Williams said Meals on Wheels promotes the dignity and independence of older adults, persons with disabilities and other homebound persons throughout McKean County through the delivery of nutritious hot and cold meals as well as coordinating needed services.

The program relies on grants to cover the cost of serving individuals who qualify for free and discounted meals, Williams added. The program experienced a shortfall as one of the granting organizations made the decision to hold funding and restructure their grant program.

She added, The Vestry of the Church voted to pass on their blessings to the Meals on Wheels program in order to feed those in need throughout the county.

For his part, Frank Kemick, program coordinator for Meals on Wheels, is also grateful for the help from the church.

We are so appreciative of Ascensions generosity and support of our program and the community members in need, Kemick remarked.

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Residents saw Bayou Manchac getting cleared but just the Ascension side. Here’s why. – The Advocate

Posted: at 5:11 am

After sudden floods last year, Ascension, East Baton Rouge and Iberville parish officials promised to work together to clear long-ignored trees and other vegetative debris and sediment in Bayou Manchac.

Last month, a handful of residents along Manchac began to notice contractors removing debris but only on the Ascension side. Some said they even saw workers cutting portions of branches and trees in Ascension and leaving the rest on the East Baton Rouge side.

Manchac plays a central role in the region's flooding because many creeks, swamps and bayous drain into it. When Manchac floods, thousands of homes are at risk which is why residents were paying close attention to the work.

To find out what was going on, John Rosso, a retired industrial executive, and a handful of other Manchac-area residents convened a meeting with local leaders including state lawmakers, parish officials and U.S. Rep. Garret Graves.

It turns out East Baton Rouge Parish hadn't yet approved its share of an agreement with debris removal firm DRC Emergency Services. But Ascension Parish already had a parishwide contract approved by its council.

So DRC and its barges began work on the Ascension side of Manchac in mid-December as part of post-Hurricane Ida debris work.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council is set to consider an agreement allowing that parish to "piggyback" on Ascension's deal on Jan. 12. Baton Rouge officials didn't get the final copy of the deal until Tuesday and will seek an emergency vote instead of the typical two-meeting approval.

"I'm going to do what we have to do to expedite that process and follow through with the commitment that Mayor Broome made originally, and we intend to honor that commitment," Fred Raiford, city parish director of transportation and drainage, told Rosso and other residents at Frank's Restaurant in Prairieville on Tuesday afternoon.

"I just want to make sure that y'all know, it never was the intent not to do our part, but I can't go authorize a contract to go out and do work without getting prior council approval."

"Fair enough," Rosso responded.

East Baton Rouge has set aside $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan dollars for that and other drainage work on Manchac. It and Iberville Parish governments have separately reached an agreement.

Once the Metro Council approves the new agreement, Raiford said, Broome and Cointment would have to sign the deal.Cointment said the Ascension Parish Council is also expected to vote on the "piggyback" agreement Jan. 20.

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East Baton Rouge could be part of the DRC's work plan in a couple of weeks, Raiford said.

Mark Armstrong, city-parish spokesman, said the company's barges will go back down the East Baton Rouge side and remove debris after DRC finishes the Ascension side. Ascension officials say their parish's work isn't expected to be finished until early to mid-February.

That plan means DRC barges will cover the same lengths of the bayou twice, but Armstrong said working each bank of the waterway separately was most efficient way the handle the job.

When asked, a spokeswoman for DRC didn't say whether traveling Manchac twice would be the most efficient way to clear out the bayou, but she did say Baton Rouge officials recognized the efficiency of having one firm handle both sides of Manchac.

"To that end, we have begun work on the Ascension side and are working closely with East Baton Rouge to assess the work on their side and begin work shortly after the completion of the Ascension side," said Kristy Fuentes, a DRC spokeswoman. She referred contractual questions to the city-parish.

The episode highlights, in a small way, the complicated politics and geography of the Spanish Lake basin and Manchac, a dividing line among the three metro parishes.

Constant development has significantly changed how water flows in and around the bayou, which ismanaged by three parishes with sometimes diverging interests and often different timelines for action.

After fights and lawsuits in recent years over flooding in the region, local officials have since pledged to work together to clean out Manchac and create a longer-term plan to better manage the water flowing through it. This time, though, the gears of government didn't exactly match up.

This is the second round of debris removal along Manchac. It reaches from the Alligator Bayou floodgates next to the Iberville line to the Amite River.

Ascension and East Baton Rouge had already agreed last fall to share the cost of pre-Ida debris removal and de-snagging work by another contractor, Chem Spray South Inc. Armstrong said the first round culled 50 trees from the East Baton Rouge side of the bayou.

The second phase of work on the Ascension side is about half done. Contractors have pulled out 7,000 cubic yards of material, said Rae'ven Jackson, parish government spokeswoman.

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Genshin Impact: Lithic Spear How to get it, stats, and ascension materials – Gamepur

Posted: at 5:11 am

The Lithic Spear is a 4-star Polearm weapon with a unique passive. The weapon grants the wielder a potential 28% ATK boost and 12% Crit Rate boost, but only if your team comprises of characters from Liyue.

To obtain the Lithic Spear, you need to pull the weapon when it has a rate-up on the Limited Weapon Banner. Unlike most other 4-star weapons, this is not available on any other banner. Youll likely pick up this weapon when pulling for a 5-star weapon during a rate-up.

The Lithic Spear is a limited weapon due to its strange passive effect. The weapon only reaches its maximum potential when you have four characters from Liyue on your team, and is otherwise a poor choice for any character who wields a polearm.

Generally, while the weapon can be strong for an individual character, its too limiting for your team. Consider also that a variety of free-to-play or other cheap 4-star Polearms are widely available and do not constrict the way you build your team.

That being said, it has a high base Attack stat for a 4-star Polearm and still increases a characters stats. Its an okay weapon for a character like Xiao if you dont have another alternative.

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Around Ascension for Jan. 5 2022 | Ascension | theadvocate.com – The Advocate

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COVID-19 vaccinations available at Gonzales Health Unit

The Ascension Parish Health Unit in Gonzales is partnering with Albertsons to administer the pediatric Pfizer vaccine from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. Jan. 22 at the health unit.

The pediatric vaccine is for children 5 to 11 years old.

For information, call (225)644-4582.

The health unit is also administering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

The heath unit is at 1024 SE Ascension Complex Blvd. in Gonzales.

As a service to the residents of Louisiana, the LSU AgCenters Sweet Potato Research Station produces foundation sweet potato seed annually. These seed potatoes are to be bedded in the row to produce slips or cuttings, which are then transplanted to the field to produce the crop. All varieties are certified to be free of viruses.

The varieties available are Beauregard B-63, Beauregard B-14, Evangeline, Orleans, Bayou Belle, Bellevue, Muraski, Porto Rico, Texas Porto Rico, Jewel and Burgundy. The top two varieties recommended for our area are Beauregard B-63 and Evangeline. Additional variety information can be found on the Sweet Potato Research Station website, http://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/research_stations/sweetpotato/.

The cost of a 40 pound box of seed potatoes is $18.50 for Beauregard (B-63 and B-14) and Evangeline; and $25 for all other varieties. For information or to order, email LSU AgCenter Agent Mariah Simoneaux at mjsimoneaux@agcenter.lsu.edu or call (225) 621-5799. Orders can be placed Jan. 5-19. Potatoes will be ready for pick up in mid-February.

Looking for things to do in this new year? Check out the Ascension Parish Library calendar for a long list of programs for all ages. Here are a few upcoming programs at library locations throughout the parish. Remember, the Donaldsonville library branch is in a new location due to renovations at the permanent branch. Visit myapl.org for details and to register for events.

During her recent visit at the library, Robin Preiss Glasser donated a signed and numbered fine art giclee print from her new book, "Grand Jet and Me," to Ascension Parish Library which will be permanently displayed at our Gonzales location. Additionally, she donated a signed and numbered test print giclee of the same image which the library will be giving away in a random drawing.

Entrants must be an Ascension Parish resident through 18 years old and submit a written or drawn response to Robin Preiss Glasser about a time in their life when an adult shared something that inspired them or any other autobiographical defining moment. Submissions will be accepted at all library locations through Jan. 10 and the winner will be announced in mid-January.

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New year, new hobby. Explore the ancient art of paper folding at Ascension Parish Library in Dutchtown at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8. Origami helps develop hand-eye coordination, sequencing and spatial awareness skills, patience and memory. Plus, its also a great stress reliever and its fun! Practice your origami skills with four designs that ring in the new year. Whether you are just a beginner or a skilled expert, theres something for everyone. All experience levels are welcome and materials will be provided. For information, call (225) 673-8699 or visit myAPL.org.

Are you looking for a simple DIY decor project? Doilies make the cutest crafts. Beginning Monday, Jan. 10, adult patrons 18 and older are invited to pick up a craft packet from any Ascension Parish Library location that will contain all the supplies you will need to make your own doily snowflake bowl. These bowls are perfect for holding your jewelry items. Snap a photo of your completed project and share it with us on Facebook or Instagram by tagging @myAPLibrary.

If you are a teen between the ages of 12-18 who likes to free draw, are a coloring fanatic, or just in need of a break, then this is for you. Relax, snack and color at Ascension Parish Librarys Art Break at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5 in Gonzales; Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. in Dutchtown; and Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. in Galvez. The library will provide art supplies, coloring sheets and refreshments all you have to do is show up. For more information, call the library or visit myapl.org.

The library is chillin with its snowmies for a fun and easy craft. Visit Ascension Parish Library on Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. in Dutchtown; Saturday, Jan. 22 at 10:30 a.m. in Gonzales; and Saturday, Jan. 29 at 10 a.m. in Galvez and make your own no sew snowman pal to welcome 2022. All you need are some socks and maybe a little magic to bring these snowmies to life. Packet pickup will be available for our Donaldsonville location beginning Monday, Jan. 17, and while supplies last. For information, call your local library location or visit myapl.org.

Whether you are a first-time builder or a master at Lego construction, you are sure to have a fun time putting the pieces together at Ascension Parish Librarys Lego Club. Visit Ascension Parish Library in Gonzales at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, to build whatever you can imagine. The library will provide the Lego bricks, so leave your own blocks at home because we wouldnt want you to lose your favorite pieces. However, materials and creations must stay at the library. You may want to bring a camera to capture the moment. Lego Club is open to kids of all ages. Duplo Blocks and Mega Bloks will be available for younger children. For information about this event, call (225) 647-3955 or visit myapl.org.

Are cooler temperatures and darker days making you miss summer fun? Then bring your little ones to Ascension Parish Library for a fun-filled day at the beach at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8 in Gonzales; at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 15 in Galvez; and at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, in Dutchtown. Your toddler will love exploring the beach indoors with sensory activities like playing with sand and water beads and treasure hunting for shells and sea creatures. Kids will also develop gross motor skills by pretending to swim in the ocean and learn lots of fun facts about ocean life. For more information about this event, call your local library location or visit us online atmyapl.org.

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Looking back at 2021 through photos, Part II – The Advocate

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2022 is finally here. Most are hoping for a year filled with health and more chances to get together.

COVID-19 has meant two years of face coverings, social distancing and lots of canceled events.

But through it all, our photographers were able to capture the year in photos. In our Dec. 22 issue, we looked back at January through April photos. Let's take a look at our favorite photos taken May through August by Advocate staff photographers, part-time photographers and our readers.

Frequent photo contributor Michael Tortorich shared a photo he took of Ascension Catholic High's 2021 graduating class. The photo continues a long-standing tradition of the graduates tossing cap in the air in front of the church before graduation day. Photos were also provided by Ascension Christian High and Ascension Parish public schools.

We love receiving submitted photos from our readers, and a photo from local author Doris LeBlanc was one of our favorites during trying times that kept many of us distanced from our families. As COVID-19 restrictions eased a bit, LeBlanc was able to meet her new great-great-grandchild.

The summer means summer camps. Photographer Morgan Werther visited East Ascension High's Sparnette Mini Cheer Camp and the Shaw Nelson Foundation's free one-day football camp at East Ascension.

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Advocate staff photographer Bill Feig stopped by River Region Art Association's Summer Art Camp and captured lots of young artists working on their skills and images from their art show.

The 2021 Ascension Relay for Life was a scaled down event compared to years past, but the enthusiasm for the cause was high and organizers said lots of money was raised for the American Cancer Society's premier event. Photographer John Oubre shoot the event, which included food and game booths and a survivors walk.

A July 7 story shared photos taken by Feig at a program featuring Michelle Harrell and Her Magical Poodles.

Center Stage Performing Arts Academy shared photos from its big win at a national competition in a July 14 story.

An Aug. 4 story highlighted photos taken by photographer April Buffington at the East Ascension Sportsman's League Kids Fishing Rodeo at Twin Lakes Mobile Home Park.

In an Aug. 11 story, Feig was busy at the first day of school at the new Sugar Mill Primary School in Prairieville.

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Looking back at 2021 through photos, Part II - The Advocate

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This Week on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick 1/7/21 – Inside INdiana Business

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Top Story: College Football Playoff National Championship

Chris Gahl, Senior Vice President, Visit Indy

Indianapolis businesses are cashing in big-time this weekend on college footballs grand finale. The College Football Playoff National Championship between Alabama and Georgia is expected to draw 100,000 visitors to the city and pump more than $150 million into the economy. Chris Gahl has details on the events overall impact on tourism.

Inside INdiana Sports: College Football Playoff National Championship

Bill Hancock, Executive Director

College football champions are usually crowned in the Sun Belt. So, how did Indianapolis become the first northern-tier city to land the national championship? We get answers and insight from Bill Hancock.

Around INdiana: College Football Playoff National Championship

Mary-Rachel Redman, Inside INdiana Business

It takes a village to pull off big events like the college football national championship. Mary-Rachel Redman with how a loyal fleet of Hoosier volunteers has helped turn Indianapolis into a world class host city.

Debrief/INsiders: College Football Playoff National Championship

Susan Baughman, President, 2022 Indy College Football Playoff

Indianapolis has practically written the playbook on how to successfully host big sporting events. Susan Baughman has been one of the key players in making it all happen over the years. She shares her take on Indys latest sports coup and how it could be a game changer for downtown.

Inside INnovation: Conexus Indiana

Fred Cartwright, President & CEO

Indianas advanced manufacturing sector appears to be solidly embracing the next generation of technology, according to a new study by Conexus Indiana. Fred Cartwright breaks down the numbers and what it means to the states economy.

Business of Health: Ascension St. Vincent Adult and Pediatric Burn Care Center

Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs, Medical Director

Ascension St. Vincent has opened a new Adult and Pediatric Burn Care Center at its flagship campus on the Indianapolis north side. Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs has insight into the role the center will play in treating burn patients.

(i) on Education: University High School

Alicia LaMagdeleine, Head of School

For more than 20 years, University High School in Hamilton County has proven to be a small but mighty part of Indiana education. We get details on whats next for this private school in Carmel from Alicia LaMagdeleine.

Inside This Weeks IBJ

Lesley Weidenbener, Editor

When the most recent surge of COVID cases overwhelmed central Indiana hospitals last month it had an alarming ripple effect on emergency ambulance services. Lesley Weidenbener has more on how that impacted patient care, plus where the proceeds will go from the late Christel DeHaans newly listed multi-million-dollar mansion.

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This Week on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick 1/7/21 - Inside INdiana Business

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Bishop Desmond Tutu’s visit to Cove remembered – Yahoo News

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Jan. 4COVE A leather fisherman's cap worn by Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu saved the day for a party he was traveling with on Interstate 84 in Baker County four decades ago.

The South African was riding in a car with Rustin Kimsey, then the bishop of the Eastern Oregon Diocese of the Episcopalian Church, and his wife, Gretchen, on a hot August day in 1983. The three had left the Ascension School Camp in Cove a half hour earlier. They were bound for the airport in Boise, where they were supposed to pick up Tutu's daughter, M'Pho, before returning to Cove where Tutu was making presentations during a week-long conference.

The trip to Boise was going well until the car overheated because of a malfunctioning radiator. The vehicle was stranded on the side of Interstate 84 and the situation looked bleak before Tutu spotted a drainage ditch below the road.

"Undaunted by the steepness and while wearing his leather fisherman's cap, he scampered down the ravine, dipped his hat into the drain ditch and brought enough water to our overheated radiator to cool it. Soon we were on our way again," Gretchen Kimsey said.

The three, after a stop in Baker City for repair work, made it to Boise to pick up Tutu's daughter and soon returned to Cove.

Gretchen Kimsey has fond memories of that day and of Tutu. Kimsey's husband, Rustin, had become a good friend of Tutu's after getting to know him at international meetings of Episcopalian church leaders. Tutu, who had just attended a meeting of the World Council of Churches in Vancouver, B.C., had come to Cove to speak at the Ascension School Camp at Rustin Kimsey's invitation.

'He spoke to the heart'

The Kimseys were among about 70 people who attended the 1983 conference Tutu spoke at. Tutu, who died Dec. 26, 2021, at the age of 90, was well known but not yet in the international spotlight in 1983.

He was a year away from being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent opposition to apartheid in South Africa. Tutu, on the verge of major celebrity status, was able to move about freely in Northeastern Oregon.

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"He was not well known yet. I think it was fun for him to be anonymous," Gretchen Kimsey, who lives in The Dalles, said.

Kimsey marveled at Tutu's ability to connect and communicate with people using plainspoken brilliance at the conference in Cove.

"He never spoke in complex terms. He spoke straight to the heart," she said.

Kimsey was also struck by Tutu's sense of humor, which he displayed during his visit to Northeastern Oregon and throughout his life.

"He brought laughter to a lot of people's lives, and we all know how healing laughter can be," she said.

Kimsey said her husband shared Tutu's sense of humor.

"That is what drew them together," she said.

A great spirit

Jim Hayes, of Joseph, then an eighth grader, was among the younger people who attended the 1983 conference at the Ascension Camp in Cove. Hayes said he was struck by the sense of happiness Tutu exuded.

"He was joyful, a great person," he said.

The Wallowa County resident grew more impressed with Tutu following the conference when he learned what he had endured while fighting apartheid in South Africa.

"I didn't understand how, after what he had gone through, he could have such great spirit," Hayes said.

The Rev. Churchill G. Pinder, of the Episcopal Church, who then lived in Baker City, was impressed with stories Tutu shared of his life in a close-knit setting.

"We all had the privilege of sitting at the feet of Desmond as he shared his experiences with the struggles in South Africa as well as his journey of faith," he said. "I clearly remember him describing his experiences of being very sick as a young child in a hospital and the impression he had when an Anglican priest came and visited him and prayed with him. Desmond shouted with glee, 'For me. What a wonder God's love is.'"

Pinder said the magnitude of the experience is hard to put into words.

"How can I explain the wonder of enjoying all the activities of Family Camp including playing softball, singing around the campfire, and eating meals with Desmond Tutu and his family and many of the members of the Diocese of Eastern Oregon," he said.

Pinder was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church at the Ascension School Camp during a ceremony conducted by Tutu and Rustin Kimsey.

Sarah Moore, a former reporter for The Observer, who attended the conference, said that Tutu was always accessible.

"It was such an intimate setting. Everyone had access to a famous person. He was always willing to sit down and talk at meals and outside," said Moore, who now lives in Orcas Island, Washington, with her husband, David, who was the rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in La Grande 40 years ago.

Moore said Tutu accepted the invitation to come to Cove because he knew Rustin Kimsey so well.

"His friendship with Rustin Kimsey is what made it happen," she said.

Rustin Kimsey died in 2015, and Tutu was among those who attended his service in The Dalles. Tutu came unannounced, Gretchen Kimsey said, because he did not want to take away attention from his friend.

"We were so happy to see him," Gretchen Kimsey said. "It was such a wonderful gesture."

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Bishop Desmond Tutu's visit to Cove remembered - Yahoo News

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Capital Assets: The best of Baton Rouge and the Capital Region – Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

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Its said that downtown is the living room of any community. Its the place where we host out-of-town guests. Its where we gather to entertain, host a party or simply have a good time.

And here in Baton Rouge, the downtown area serves as a symbolic representation of the city and the larger Capital Region: A semi-vibrant area of rebirth along the Mississippi River thats made a lot of progress over the past 20 years, continues to possess remarkable potential and is a barometer for what we can becomeand the work that remains for potential to become reality.

Yet downtown is hardly this regions only treasure, as detailed in Business Reports latest cover package Capital Assets 2022.

From the splendor of the rolling hills of the Felicianas to the economic might of industrial plants hard against the Mississippi River in Ascension, Iberville and West Baton Rouge parishes. From the hamlets of suburban bedroom communities in Livingston and Ascension to the emergence of traditional neighborhood developments dotting East Baton Rouge Parish. From the championship exploits of our high school and college athletic teams to the seeds of our intellectual and economic future found at LSU, the states flagship university, Southern, the nations largest historically black university system, and a host of community and technical colleges across the region. From the remarkable research being done at Pennington Biomedical to the incredible potential of a growing health care corridor.

At its core, however, what makes this place so special is its people. For it is all of us who define our cultural gumbo and our identity. And even when were going through growing pains, its the people of the Capital Region who will determine our future.

Make no mistake, it is all of us who are this regions greatest asset.

Read the full Capital Assets cover package from the latest edition of Business Report.

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Capital Assets: The best of Baton Rouge and the Capital Region - Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

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