Category Archives: Ascension

GONZALES They lined up Wednesday for one final team photo at home to commemorate the moment.

A year after a heartbreaking one-run setback on their home field, Ascension Christian celebrated its first postseason victory a 10-5 Division IV regional victory over St. Frederick with a joyous photo opportunity in front of the left field scoreboard.

Its the best feeling in the world, Ascension Christian catcher Landon Ortego said. We made history.

The No. 8 Lions (21-9) travel to No. 1 and defending Class 1A state champion Central Catholic of Morgan City, a 9-0 winner over False River, for a quarterfinal at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 3.

Ascension Christian hosted a playoff game for the second straight year, this time looking to make amends for a 5-4 loss to St. Edmund.

The Lions trailed 2-0 after two innings after a potential big inning ended in a double play.

When we got down at the beginning of the season, we kind of put our heads down and kind of gave up, ACHS first-year coach Conrad Gayle said. Our motto was from the first pitch until the last one: (every) pitch with a purpose.

Ascension Christian responded in the third by batting around, taking a 6-2 lead they never relinquished.

Mason Braud drove in the Lions, first run and a throwing error enabled Jacob Antie to tie the game at 2. Losing pitcher Weston Swanner balked in Braud and Ortego homered for the second time this season a two-run shot to left.

No. 9 St. Frederick (18-11) made it 8-4 with a pair of runs in the fourth, but winning pitcher Nic Montalbano limited the Warriors to only one run in the sixth thereafter.

Montalbano (7-3) allowed seven hits and five runs (three earned), walked one and struck out eight.

ACHS, which piled up 12 hits led by Ortego (3-for-3) and shortstop Peyton Bahlinger (3-for-4, three stolen bases, RBI), stretched its lead to 10-4 with two runs in both the fourth and fifth.

Ortego drove in his third run with a long single to right in the fourth, while a safety squeeze bunt from Josh Diez scored courtesy runner Jacob Bruder and Antie added an RBI single in the fifth.

This was a great team win, Gayle said. Im so proud of every, single one of these guys and for this program because I knew we could take the next step and we took it.

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Ascension Christian breaks through with first baseball playoff victory - The Advocate

Brandie Richardson

Alzheimers Services of the Capital Area has opened a second location for their adult day center right in the heart of Ascension Parish, offering numerous services for adults suffering from Alzheimers and Dementia.

The non-profit organization held a ribbon cutting for Charlies Place II last week, which marked the official opening of the location on Purpera Road in The Arc of East Ascensions building in Gonzales.

Ascension Parish has been extremely assertive in asking for a Charlies Place, said Alzheimers Services of the Capital Area Executive Director Barbara Auten. Ascension Parish is probably the second most populous in attending our programs, they really use the services and there tends to be an awful lot of Alzheimers down there.

The new Respite and Activity Center provides caregivers a much needed six hour break and offers numerous activities in a home-like setting such as gardening, interactive games, exercise, arts and crafts and music.

We provide a purposeful day for the Alzheimers affected individual," she added. "We engage them in purposeful activity during the day that uses both cognition and socialization that helps them remain active in their disease. From the time they get there until they time they get picked up they will have social time where they are engaged in something."

Funding for Charlie's Place II was made possible through a $100,000 donation from the Lamar Family Foundation and the Lamar-Dixon Foundation, which covered start up costs and the first year expenses. Both foundations challenged Alzheimers Services of the Capital Area to meet their donation, which was completed in 10 months through various foundations.

Currently the facility is only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and can accommodate up to 15 people a day. As enrollment increased more days will be added.

For more information about Charlie's Place, visit alzbr.org or call (225) 334-7494.

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Charlie's Place II opens in Ascension Parish - Weekly Citizen

BBC News

Shark attacks British woman off Ascension Island - BBC News BBC News Her husband reportedly punched the animal to scare it away and she is now being treated in hospital. Husband Punches Shark to Save Wife Attacked While Snorkeling near British Ascension IslandNewsweek British woman mauled by shark near Ascension Island saved after husband punched itTelegraph.co.uk British woman savaged by shark at Ascension IslandThe Times (subscription) Stuff.co.nz -Metro -Evening Standard all 34 news articles »

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Shark attacks British woman off Ascension Island - BBC News - BBC News

GALVEZ Galvez residents going to the library on Monday will walk into a part of the building they've never seen before.

Sealed off for construction for the last 10 months, a new 6,000-square-foot addition on the east side of the building facing La. 42 will open.

The new space will serve as the library for the Galvez community through the end of the year while the old library space gets a new roof and a renovation.

The work is all part of a $3.34 million expansion and renovation project that will more than double the size of the library from approximately 10,000 square feet to some 23,000 square feet.

Along with the new addition, another, 4,000-square foot addition, temporarily being used for storage, has gone up on the west side of the building.

The new addition, which will offer new space for library activities for the public and another room for groups to meet, will open at the end of the year, along with the renovated original building, said Angelle Deshautelles, library director for the Ascension Parish library system.

The number of parking spaces at the library is more than doubling, too, going from 45 to 104.

"When this was built and opened in 1992, it was designed to serve 15,000 people," Deshautelles said of the Galvez location.

The population in the area has more than doubled since then and was estimated in 2010 at more than 36,000, she said.

Other libraries in Ascension Parish are in Donaldsonville, Gonzales and Dutchtown.

Deshautelles said she believes that by the end of 2017 the library system will have saved enough money to begin planning for a library in St. Amant, where it already has property on La. 43.

"We anticipate it will be 23,000 square feet, too," she said.

Like all of the Ascension Parish Library construction projects, the Galvez library project was funded by property taxes.

The Ascension Parish Library system receives 95 percent of its funding from two property taxes, one a 2.6 millage and the other a 4.2 millage.

Other funding comes from the state and fees and fines.

The library puts money aside for construction, which "stretches things out time-wise" but "doesn't cost the taxpayer any more money," Deshautelles has said.

The Galvez library has been closed for the last two weeks while a professional moving company and library staffers moved shelves, books and more from the old part of the building, which will be sealed off during its renovation, to the new addition.

Deshautelles said that during the first three days the building was closed, more than 100 people came to the front door where workers were going in and out, to ask, "'Y'all closed?'" Deshautelles said.

The Galvez library is used by about 2,500 to 3,000 people weekly, she said.

Library employees on Friday were checking to make sure that books were in the right order on the shelves in the new addition.

The new area has a large activity room for children, complete with a sink, ideal for craft projects, staff said.

"It's really exciting," said branch librarian Stephanie Mayeux of all the new space.

"There was not enough space to showcase all our resources" in the old building, she said.

At the end of the year, the Galvez library will have to close again for two weeks to move back into the renovated original portion of the building and the second new addition.

When all the dust settles at the end of the year, the new Galvez library will have 20 computers, an increase of 12; three study rooms, an increase of 2; a magazine-reading room; and a library section for young adults for the first time.

The architect for the project is Henry Chauvin of Gonzales, and the contractor is Stuart and Co. of Baton Rouge.

"I grew up here, I'm one of those little kids who lived in the library," said Deshautelles, a native of Ascension Parish.

"This is the library (system) I used as a child, and I know what it can help you accomplish," she said.

Follow Ellyn Couvillion on Twitter, @EllynCouvillion.

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Ascension Parish library reaches big goal in expansion project - The Advocate

Whats the story?

As reported by Wrestling News, WWE Hall of Famer Road Warrior Animal has spoken out about the current tag team scene within the company and, more specifically, how he feels about The Ascension. Animal talked about these issues during an interview with Hannibal TV.

Animal is one-half of one of the greatest tag teams in the history of professional wrestling, The Road Warriors. Over the years, hes re-appeared now and then both with and without Hawk, who sadly passed away in October 2003. His last tag title reign with the company came alongside Heidenreich when they defeated MNM back in July 2005.

In the above clip, Animal talks about all things related to the tag team division, with some of his comments concerning The Ascension. Animal feels that they need to stop trying to be the Road Warriors, saying No way, shape, form, build, action, wrestling will beat Road Warriors. Leave it alone, leave it alone, thats my advice to them.

Also read: Road Warrior Animal on why The New Day are special

Itll be interesting to see if The Ascension responds to these comments, especially considering how weak their current position within the company is. With SmackDown Lives tag team division getting something of a reboot over the last few weeks, it remains to be seen whether the tag team will be featured going forward on the blue brand.

Animal has always been someone who doesnt really care what people think, and thus his comments arent all too surprising. Where The Ascension is concerned, however, it doesnt really seem fair to judge them for the current gimmick as its clearly WWE who have decided to make them nothing more than a Road Warriors tribute act.

With that being said, we hope that the duo is given a chance to shine as their stint in NXT proved just how good they could be.

Send us news tips at fightclub@sportskeeda.com

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WWE News: Road Warrior Animal goes off on The Ascension - Sportskeeda

Greg Fischer Editor-in-chief @AscensionEditor

Parish President Kenny Matassa has invited the public to attend lunch for the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 4 at Lamar Dixon Expo Center.

Matassa said the theme of the prayer is according to Daniel 9:19, O, Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive! O Lord, Hear and Act! For Your Sake, O My God

A letter by Matassa sent by email on April 23 read, "Across the United States our leaders celebrate the National Day of Prayer! It is with great pleasure that I invite you to attend our 8th Annual National Day of Prayer Luncheon. The public is invited to attend this blessed event which takes place on Thursday, May 4, 2017 at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center. Lunch is being served at 11:30 a.m. followed by a program beginning at noon. This luncheon provides you with an opportunity to interact with clergy, business leaders, and elected officials in our community; as well as participate in an event that is celebrated across the country. It is my hope that you will take time out of your busy schedules to join me, and the Prayer Task Force as we set aside this time to reflect together.

If you would like to receive additional information about the National Day of Prayer please visit http://www.nationaldayofprayer.com.

I look forward to seeing you at the luncheon!

Sincerely,

Parish President Kenny Matassa and

The National Day of Prayer Committee."

The website offers patrons a place to donate and comes complete with a real time ticker counting down to the National Day of Prayer. For more information on how to participate or attend lunch, contact Kemlyn Bailey-Lomas kbaileylomas@apgov.us or call 225-450-1142.

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Ascension Parish upholds National Day of Prayer - News - Gonzales ... - Weekly Citizen

G.J. Bucky Mistretta and Kenny Almond brought out the best in their programs, creating winning environments with thirsts for winning championships.

The Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame had their induction ceremony last weekwelcoming in five new members.

Two of the newest inductees not only made their mark on Louisiana athletics, but they made a lasting and impactful impression on Ascension Parish.

G.J. Bucky Mistretta and Kenny Almond brought out the best in their programs, creating winning environments with thirsts for winning championships.

It was great to see both coaches take their places in the Hall of Fame. It was certainly much deserved.

Mistretta was one of the best football coaches Ascension has ever seen.

Though he coached at both Lee High and Redemptorist, his greatest impact was felt at his alma mater, Ascension Catholic.

Mistretta built the program into a Class 1A juggernaut that routinely reached the state semifinals, made multiple trips to the Superdome and brought home multiple state titles. In what may have been his most impressive feat, he won a state championship in two separate stints with the Bulldogs.

His first go-around in Donaldsonville lasted 14 years and culminated in Ascension Catholic capturing the Class 1A state title in 1973. It was their first football state championship since 1941.

Mistretta then left to coach at Redemptorist from 1977-84.

When he returned to Ascension Catholic in 1985, the Bulldogs instantly built themselves back into a 1A powerhouse.

In 1987, they reached the state semifinals, and in 1991, they finished as state runners-up.

In 1992, Ascension Catholic outscored their opponents, 254-64, in the postseasonincluding a drubbing of West St. John in the title game to claim another state championship.

During their dominating run of the late 80s and early 90s, Mistretta coached running back Germaine Williamswho was the state Offensive MVP in 1989 and held the state record for most career rushing yards with 8,048 until former LSU running back Kenny Hilliard broke it in 2010, while at Patterson.

Ascension Catholic football hasnt been the same since Mistretta retired in 2003. Theyve just never been able to recapture the magic.

From 2003-10, the Bulldogs only made three playoff appearances and never made it past the second round.

Though, under both Doug Moreau and Drey Trosclair, the program has been able to turn a corner and make consistent trips to the postseason.

And in a week that he represents Ascension Parish with his induction into the Hall of Fame, his son, Guy, has just become the new head football coach at Dutchtown.

He becomes only the second head football coach the Griffins have ever had. Like his father, Guy has won two state titles. He won one at Redemptorist, and recently, he won a second at Livonia.

Almond is most widely known for his exploits at Woodlawn, but his stop at East Ascension

jump-started the Spartan basketball program and brought them back into respectability.

He was already a member of the Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Associations Hall of Fame and a LABC Mr. Louisiana Basketball Award recipient.

Almonds Woodlawn teams were special. In his time there, he won three state championships.

His 2003 squad went a perfect 39-0 and brought home the state title. They finished the year ranked No. 2 in the country.

Also in his tenure, his Panther team won a Class 5A record 56 consecutive games.

In his 10 years coaching at East Ascension, the Spartans won 255 games. They also made two state semifinal appearances, and in his final three years there, they won three straight district titles.

In 2014, Almond left the Spartans to briefly coach at Zachary.

Overall, he won 892 games in his coaching career.

The strong basketball tradition Almond was able to build up while he was the coach at East Ascension has continued since his departure.

The Spartans reached the state semifinals in 2016, and this past season, they won the District 5-5A championship and headed into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in Class 5A.

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Ascension coaching greats - News - Gonzales Weekly Citizen ... - Weekly Citizen

Guilty Pleas

During the week of April 10-April 14, 2017, the following defendants pled guilty to various charges and were sentenced in the 23rd Judicial District Court, parishes of Ascension, Assumption, and St. James.

Ascension Parish:

Kary LeBlanc, 39169 Hwy 74 Prairieville, LA., age 42, pled guilty to Felony Domestic Abuse Battery and was sentenced to 3 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 3 years supervised probation.

Roel Pineda, 15464 Palmetto Ln. Prairieville, LA., age 35, pled guilty to 2nd Degree Battery and was sentenced to 2 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

Blaine Thibodeaux, 25680 Intracoastal Rd. Plaquemine, LA., age 21, pled guilty to Theft Valued at $25,000 or More and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 2 years supervised probation.

Cedric Williams, 1773 Sora St. Baton Rouge, LA., pled guilty to Theft of Goods Valued at $1500 or More, Theft of Goods Valued at $500 or More but less than $1500, Theft of Goods Valued at Less than $500 (2 counts), and Simple Battery. On the charges of Theft of Goods Valued at $1500 or More and Theft of Goods Valued at $500 or more but Less than $1500, the defendant was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served on each count. On the charges of Theft of Goods Valued at Less than $500 and Simple Battery, the defendant was sentenced to 6 months in the parish jail on each count with credit for time served. It was further ordered that the imposed sentences are to run concurrent with one another.

Tyrell Jimerson, 12302 Deck Blvd. Geismar, LA., age 22, pled guilty to Unauthorized Use of an Access Card and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. The defendant was sentenced to 30 months with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served on each count. The imposed sentences are to run concurrent with one another.

Keith Gayden, 39145 W Worthey Rd. Gonzales, LA., age 49, pled guilty to Simple Burglary and was sentenced to 8 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Joni Buquoi and Amy Colby. Presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Jason Verdigets.

Daveyon Miles, 255 Hwy 1003 Belle Rose, LA., age 18, pled guilty to Felony Domestic Abuse Battery and was sentenced to 2 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 2 years supervised probation.

The above case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Phil Maples, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Thomas Kliebert.

Assumption Parish:

Frank Adams III, 210 Levee Rd. Morgan City, LA., age 25, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance (Methamphetamine) and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 5 years supervised probation.

Floyd Robertson, 122 Hyland Dr. Thibodaux, LA., age 21, pled guilty to Aggravated 2nd Degree Battery and was sentenced to 6 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served.

Teedy Sanchez, 107 Rue De Kajun St. Pierre Part, LA., age 20, pled guilty to Felony Carnal Knowledge of a Juvenile (2 counts) and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served on each count to run concurrent with one another. The imposed sentence is to be suspended, and the defendant is to be placed on 5 years supervised probation. The defendant must also register and notify as a sex offender.

Carmello Cruz III, 10488 Legion St. Convent, LA., age 38, pled guilty to DWI 3rd Offense and was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served, to be suspended, and placed on 5 years supervised probation. As part of this plea agreement, the defendant is to remain on home incarceration.

Robert Foret, 115 Ash St. Labadieville, LA., age 51, pled guilty to Failure to Register and Notify as a Sex Offender or Child Predator and was sentenced to 2 years at hard labor with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served. The imposed sentence is to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

Maison Rivere, 1615 Hwy 402 Napoleonville, LA., age 22, pled guilty to Aggravated Assault with a Firearm and 2nd Degree Battery. The defendant was sentenced to 2 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served on each count to run concurrent with one another. It was further ordered that 1 years of the imposed sentence is to be suspended, and the defendant is to serve 6 months in the parish jail with credit for time served. Upon release, the defendant is to be placed on 1 years supervised probation.

The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lana Chaney, and presiding over these matters was the Honorable Judge Tess Stromberg.

St. James Parish:

Brett Painter, 42436 Shady Pine Ln. Gonzales, LA., age 43, pled guilty to Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance, Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Dangerous Substance, and DWI 1st Offense. On the charges of Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance and Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Dangerous Substance, the defendant was sentenced to 5 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections with credit for time served on each count. On the charge of DWI 1st Offense, the defendant was sentenced to 6 months in the parish jail with credit for time served. It was ordered that the imposed sentences are to run concurrent with each other. It was further ordered that the imposed sentence is to be suspended, and the defendant is to be placed on 5 years supervised probation.

The above case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Bruce Mohon, and presiding over this matter was the Honorable Judge Jessie LeBlanc.

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Ascension Parish Guilty Pleas for the Week of April 10 - Donaldsonville Chief

Mount Ascension is not the highest or hardest climb on the Kenai Peninsula, but the views from its summit are commanding. The Harding Icefield almost looks small thousands of feet below, with a constellation of nunataks piercing its glacial expanse. Resurrection Bay appears placid, a little inlet tucked in from the vast ocean beyond. Fox and its neighboring islands rise abruptly from the bay, as abstract as seen from a birds eye. Mount Eva and Mount Alice, which loom over the bay, reveal their harsh grandeur: vertical serrated rocks jutting from glaciers below. Surprisingly, the Kenais rugged mountains to the north seem to undulate against the skyline, a series of gentle ridgelines that belie the peaks real steepness.

Ascensions steep north face drops abruptly to the valley more than a half mile below, past cliffs and spires that protrude from jagged sub-ridges. From the summit, Ascension seems a place unto itself, a tiny snowy island amidst clouds, in between rugged glaciated peaks that border the ocean and the Kenais drier interior.

Who wouldnt slog twenty miles or so to visit such a place? Ascension is not a very common backcountry ski destination for non-motorized users, but it is an eminently reasonable trip. Of the approximately 21 miles, the first and last six are out-and-back on a snowmachine trail (or the well-established Primrose trail later in the season) to Kenai Lake. Fortunately for skiers, this trail climbs steadily, with few ups-and-downs. As a result, the return trip is fast, with a short uphill section in which it makes sense to take off skis and walk for about five minutes. This trail approach would be fat bikable in firm conditions. Some uphill sections would be challenging for most riders, and the bike overall would likely be slower, taking into account transition time. It would, however, avoid the painfully long double poling on the way back. Of course, snowmachiners can cruise through this section, though not at great speeds: Most of it is narrow and bumpy as a result of much traffic.

In winter, the approach trail ends near Lost Lake, at which point snowmachine tracks head in all directions. Skiers will skin across the lake, then climb gradually over Ascensions foothills in a circling approach to the mountains south-facing glacier and snowfield. The glacier has retreated a great deal compared to when it was last mapped, but still holds ice in a cirque below Ascensions summit spires. From this bowl, climb up Ascensions large south face, a thousand foot or so bootpack (most likely) to the summit. In spring and summer, it will probably be important to climb this face before it is baked by the sun, and before it presents wet slide avalanche risks. Expect firm surfaces, particularly near the top. A whippet is a nice safety precaution, and/or crampons.

Master skiers and weather-readers could time an Ascension ascent to ski corn on its south face. Better yet, there is a long, steep couloir that drops off the north face down to a small glacier above Lost Lake. This couloir begins a couple hundred feet below and to the east of the summit, in a small saddle next to a false summit spire. It has a very steep entrance that may be above bands of rock, depending on depth of snow in the chute. Farther down, cliff bands jut into the couloir: This would be a very dangerous place to fall, as it is more than steep enough to gain speed and plummet all of the way to the bottom, probably careening off rocks along the way. Since Ascension is very prominent relative to nearby peaks, this couloir is also exposed to winds from the north, so expect its top portion in particular to be firm. In addition, be aware that the snaking couloir may hold unstable wind pockets in several spots. Finally, the bergshrund and one crevasse near the base of the couloir present additional hazards. In general, the skiers right side of the glacier can present a reasonably clear path of egress.

After the descent, it is a slog back to the car. Plan on taking a couple hours once you get across the lake, if you dont have a fat bike or snowmachine.

Springtime is for slogging and chutes. Ascension provides both. Even though most of the time is spent skinning, what you remember is the multi-thousand foot couloir peppered with rock bands, which terminates in a massive snow cone on a glacier formed by thousands of years of avalanches, and the summit that makes Resurrection Bay and the Harding ice field look small. Ascension is a commanding peak in a wilderness of glaciers and alpine lakes. It is worth every minute of the slog.

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Mt. Ascension: Skiing high above the Kenai - Anchorage Press

Derek Lacey Times-News Staff Writer @BRNDerek

The Asheville Regional Airport is set to complete its parking garage this fall and its ongoing runway construction project next year, Executive Director Lew Bleiweis told the Henderson County commissioners Wednesday.

Commissioners were updated on the airports 2016 successes by Bleiweis, who called 2016 a year of ascension in his annual report. The airport rose to new heights literally and figuratively," the report says.

Those heights include the third year in a row in which passenger numbers broke the airports all-time record, he said, for a total of 826,648 passengers flying into or out of Asheville, a 5-percent increase over 2015's numbers.

Weve had our third great year in a row, he said. Passenger numbers have never been higher, so the success continues, though he did show some trepidation, saying hes just waiting for that balloon to pop.

New routes to Jacksonville, Fla., the Washington, D.C. area and the New York City area were added, and existing routes to Charlotte and Atlanta grew, the report shows.

The airport's four carriers Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta and United split flights in 2016 at 31 percent, 24 percent, 34 percent and 11 percent, respectively, Bleweis said.

Allegiant isnt expected to continue its seasonal non-stop flights to Jacksonville, Fla. this year, he said, and the airline has already stopped its direct flights to Palm Beach, Fla., opting instead for Fort Lauderdale, almost doubling Ashevilles flights there.

The five-story parking garage is set to open in November, Bleiweis said, for a total of 1,300 parking spaces, with 200 reserved for rental cars and 1,100 for public parking. A covered walkway will connect it to the terminal building.

Phase 3 of the airports airfield redevelopment program is complete, he said, which included grading and drainage of the new permanent runway, and Phase 4 is now underway.

Bleiweis said the project is set to be fully complete in 2018, with the permanent runway to be commissioned Dec. 7. Once thats operating next spring, the temporary runway will be reconfigured back to a permanent taxiway with all work concluded by June 18.

The airport also completed several smaller renovations with new office space in the main terminal, enlarging a conference room and updating the Guest Services Welcome Center.

The airports assets exceed its liabilities by $115,004,382 as of June 30, 2016, the report shows, stating an increase of more than $16.7 million from 2015, and an increase of more than $29.4 million from 2014.

In other business:

Commissioners awarded Environmental Supervisor of the Year to Seth Swift, and approved a request to close the county Register of Deeds Office on July 11, for training and implementation on a new electronic birth recording system.

Two public speakers addressed the board, starting with Nancy Glowacki, who spoke on the decision-making process for the planned $20 million Law Enforcement Training Facility the county is looking to construct at Blue Ridge Community College. She asked how, where, why and with whom was this decision made?

She also asked if a needs assessment had been conducted and if a realistic operating budget had been established for the facility. She asked whether its time to adopt a best practices policy for decisions like this, suggesting a board of residents be a part of that process. She said she honors Sheriff Charles McDonald for his willingness to speak with and listen to residents, and honors the Board of Commissioners for the same.

Dennis Justice spoke on the county project to install artificial turf at three county high schools. He said the decision by the Henderson County Board of Public Education to not install shock pads with the artificial turf recklessly endangers athletes who play on the surface, comparing it to driving a Lamborghini without airbags.

He said his children would not play on it, and his son is no longer on the track team and would sit out graduation in protest. Justice called for the project to be delayed and an emergency session of the school board to remedy the decision, saying that we should have the best for our kids, not safe enough.

As part of its consent agenda, commissioners approved the sale of the Sixth Avenue Clubhouse property in Hendersonville to Dr. Leon Elliston for $286,000 after an upset bid process.

The property consists of two parcels at 714 Sixth Ave. According to information provided with the meeting agenda, the total tax value of the parcels, including buildings, is $372,400. But the Henderson County engineer and capital projects manager believe, after a survey of the building, that the renovation cost for any effective use of that building exceeds its quoted tax value.

Acting as the Cane Creek Water and Sewer District, commissioners approved a request to apply for an Asset Inventory and Assessment Grant from the state Division of Water Infrastructure to fund CCWSDs regulatory-required work to map the system and develop a master plan.

According to County Engineer Marcus Jones, an anticipated $75,000 is needed for GIS mapping of the system and another $75,000 for the master plan, for a total of $150,000. Jones said the deadline is April 28, and that the outlook is positive, but a local match of some amount would most likely be required.

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Speakers target training facility, turf; Airport's 2016 a 'year of ascension' - BlueRidgeNow.com