Category Archives: Ascension

GONZALES - Marcus Allen walked into a crowd of open arms and hugs Saturday during a vigil for his daughter Nevaeh in his hometown at Gonzales Municipal Park.

"We want him to know that he has an army behind him every step of the way," Paige Goynes said.

Goynes and Denai Williams are lifelong friends of Nevaeh's father and organized the memorial for his daughter.

"We just want to show him that people do love him, and there's still good people in the world," Williams said.

Nevaeh's name and face were on t-shirts, posters and balloons. Candles were lit and the almost one hundred in attendance joined in prayer before and after the balloons were released.

Allen's uncle Annie Allen traveled from New Orleans to be part of the memorial.

"It's beautiful that they came out to support my niece in these trying times, and support the family and show much love," Allen said.

Local rap artist Teflon Mark who had a special poster of the Nevaeh made announced that he will pay for all of the 2-year-old's funeral costs.

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Almost a hundred turn out for 2-year-old's vigil in Ascension Parish - WBRZ

Tom Brady didnt come out of nowhere. The notion that he did --that no one envisioned him taking over for Drew Bledsoe is an easy-to-swallow storyline increasingly pushed as the years pass. But it just isnt true.

In late September of 2001, the second-year quarterback from Michigan was already nipping at Bledsoes heels. Bradys ascent began almost the moment he entered Foxboro Stadium as the 199thpick. Bledsoe, meanwhile, had plateaued at 29.

He was still highly regarded around the league for his toughness, leadership, size and arm strength. But within the walls at the soon-to-be-demolished Foxboro Stadium, Bledsoes price tag and limitations had head coach Bill Belichick, Director of Player Personnel Scott Pioli, and others privately concerned with whether Bledsoe would be part of the teams success or an obstacle to it.

Belichick and Pioli worked shoulder-to-shoulder in building the Patriots of the 2000s. Their job was monumental. And Bledsoe was a complex part of it.

"Thinking about Drew, part of the blessing and the curse with Drew was that we knew him so well,"Pioli explained. "Everyone liked Drew, respected Drew. But because we had been an opponent (of the Patriots) the last three seasons at the Jets, we had started to figure out ways to attack Drew, things that we could do to Drew and what (his) Kryptonite was.

"He was still one of the best quarterbacks in the league but you also have this knowledge of things that may not work,"Pioli said. "It was clear that he was playing at a certain level. What was the next level? Are we going to be able to get a next level from him? And are we going to be able to provide the things for him that would allow him to take it to the next level?"

Meanwhile, Brady --one of four quarterbacks the Patriots kept on the roster in Belichicks 5-11 first season with the team --built on the momentum hed created as a rookie. Despite Bledsoe signing a 10-year, $103M extension in March of 2001, Bradys progress throughout that spring and summer kept the Patriots braintrust on alert. Meanwhile, Bledsoes summer work wasnt good.

Many in the media chalked that up to the lack of talent around the rocket-armed Bledsoe. He was at his best when he could stand tall, pat the ball and rip it downfield. A precision offense based on accuracy and quick decision-making didnt play to Bledsoes strengths. And thats exactly what Charlie Weis, the teams offensive coordinator, wanted to run. Bledsoe was trying. But he was more gunslinger than sharpshooter. And while Brady was no gazelle, Bledsoe was a battleship.

That Bledsoe took seven preseason sacks and played almost the entire first half of the Patriots' final preseason game should have been a warning that the Patriots still werent seeing what they wanted. If it wasnt, Bledsoes performance through the first two games was. The Patriots lost the opener to the Bengals.

On September 23, the Patriots hosted the Jets. The violent way in which Bledsoes day ended --an organ-rattling hit from Jets linebacker Mo Lewis that sheared an artery --overshadowed the quarterbacks performance before the hit. It was one of the worst games hed played in years. The near-tragedy with Bledsoe gave Brady and the team a chance to see what it had. Cold-blooded. But business.

What were the months leading up to that moment like in Foxboro for the Patriots and for Brady? What was the atmosphere around the team and in the facility? And what was it like 20 years ago in the days after Bledsoes injury through to Tom Bradys first NFL start?

Youve heard me tell the story about the draft before the 2001 season. It was a Friday night in the very beginning of April, and I was leaving the building. We still had the (practice) bubble and the lights were on in the bubble. I went around the construction (of the new stadium) to go hit the lights and on a Friday night in April, it's almost 10 o'clock at night and there's Brady working on his own with his boombox, with elastics around his ankles, throwing balls into the net.

Scott Pioli, former player personnel director for the Patriots

With Brady coming to Foxboro to start a game for the final time, we look back exactly 20 years to the week of Bradys first start at home against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Scott Pioli, Patriots Director of Player Personnel:I believe we started to see a change in Tommy during the 2000 season just watching his preparation. I've always liked to make this distinction between work ethic and work habits. Brady had both. He had a really strong work ethic. But as we know, there's a lot of people out there that have a really strong work ethic. But if their work habits aren't right, if they're just working on the wrong things, it doesn't matter. And Brady had both of those at a very young age.

Charlie Weis, Offensive Coordinator:I was impressed with the Tommy Brady that went on his whole rookie year. Most of his work took place after practice, or in the building. He didn't get that much work on the field. Most of his work took place after practice. He'd keep guys and hed tape a script and go through plays. We watched him evolve and I thought that after that first year that he could be in the running for the backup quarterback.

Chris Eitzmann, tight end and Brady's roommate:One story that just sticks out to me the most is the second week of training camp (in 2000). We're walking off the field at Bryant College after we stayed late to run routes. I'm completely gassed. At the time Im seventh on the depth chart, believing I had a chance but knowing a lot had to happen for me to find my way onto the roster.

Tom was kinda in the same boat. He had two veterans ahead of him (Bledsoe and veteran John Friesz). Michael Bishop (a third-year player from Kansas State) was obviously very popular for what he could do athletically. We're both kind of fighting for jobs. So there we are, walking off the field, second week of practicing and he says, You know what, I'm going to beat out Bledsoe.

Patriots Talk Podcast:Love In! To get into Brady's head, Patriots need to go through his heart|Listen & Subscribe| Watch on YouTube

So at the time I was fairly dismissive of it. I'm like, 'Yeah, okay. Sure you are.'But he believed it was 100 percent. There was no other outcome that was acceptable to him. He knew in his heart that at some point he was going to do it. And that's my favorite story of him because I think it tells you so much about who he is and how he's done what he's done.

Tom Brady, Sr.:The day after the season ends, he was back at the facility working out and was basically there the whole time probably January 2 to June 30. I think it was July or so he got a call from Charlie Weis just as we were pulling in to play golf. Charlie said, How come you're not here working out? after Tommys been six straight months of working out virtually every day. And Tommy said, Don't worry, Coach, I'm not going back there to be the backup of a 5-11 quarterback.

He felt that he had the talents and the ability to supplant Drew reasonably quickly and in fact, several people made comments to that same effect.

Weis:I do (remember that phone call). He did have that, in a nice way, youd say cockiness.But it was a confidence. He did have that confidence about him. Being a Jersey guy myself, I always liked that type of attitude where, he wasn't shooting anyone else down, he was just saying, Hey, this iswhat I'm all about. And, you know, that's one of the things that stuck out to you.

Pioli:We were trying to build our entire roster. There was a group of us that felt really good about Brady and the progress he was making. But he was still unproven. Something we wanted to do that season was improve not only our starters, but our depth. We wanted to be a deep football team.

We felt that Brady could certainly be on his way to being the No. 2. Some of us felt more strongly than others. Yet, there was an opportunity to get Damon Huard, a player that we really respected and we knew a lot about because he had been in that division with Miami and the group of us that had been with the Jets knew who he was as a player. We knew he was a backup player who also had some starter experience. So we wanted a player as one of our backups to be someone that had starting experience.

Pioli:That offseason, he acquired a key somehow and he would let himself into the facility and into the visitors locker room to watch film because he didnt want people to see him in there. He would come in down by the weight room and watch tape down there. (I thought the reason he was guarded about it) was a combination that he didn't want people to think he was kissing up but he also didn't want people knowing how hard he was working. I shouldn't say that I know what he was thinking. My assumption or my guess would be was that he knew that he had limitations, but he also knew that no one was gonna outwork him. Theres just that whole idea that you're a professional athlete. And there's other people that aren't working that hard. You know, why would I have to? And that's just me speculating. I don't know why, but I don't think he really wanted people to know how hard he worked.

Youve heard me tell the story about the draft before the 2001 season. It was a Friday night in the very beginning of April, and I was leaving the building. We still had the (practice) bubble and the lights were on in the bubble. I went around the construction (of the new stadium) to go hit the lights and on a Friday night in April, it's almost 10 o'clock at night and there's Brady working on his own with his boombox, with elastics around his ankles, throwing balls into the net.

I retell that story because I don't know if we saw a change. It was more of this continuum that was constant. It was unrelenting, and it was preparation. It was work habits. And then it began to manifest itself in camps and all the work that he did in that preseason.

He was always prepared and sometimes people focus so much on tools, someone's big arm, the throws they can make, how fast they are.

Brady had a different way of doing things early in his career. And as he got better athletically, as he got a stronger arm, he was doing all the right things and making all the right decisions, not just off the field but on the field when his opportunity came.

Pioli:We were trying to manage that salary cap from the moment we walked in the door. People often forget the true and accurate history of what the circumstances were when this whole thing started.

One of the biggest issues we had was this imbalance within our salary cap. And part of building a good team is being able to find ways to structure contracts where it's not too heavy-handed one way. Those were some of the things we talked about. Thats what was going through our minds at this time: Hey, we've got to find good young players that can help us address this bigger picture situation.

There was a feeling that (Brady) might be able to become that player. It wasn't everybody in the organization. It wasn't everybody on the coaching staff. It wasn't everybody in player personnel --not that it was a very big player, personnel department --but there was some hopefulness that he could become that player.

There were things that made us think that he could be (a starting-level quarterback) and it was hopefulness. And we thought he was on that trajectory where he could become a starting quarterback and could become our starting quarterback.

I go back to thinking about the Drew thing, part of the blessing and the curse with Drew was that we knew him so well. Everyone liked Drew, respected Drew. But because we had been an opponent the last three seasons at the Jets, we had started to figure out ways to attack Drew, things that we could do to Drew and what someone who's Kryptonite was. He was still one of the best quarterbacks in the league but you also have this knowledge of things that may not work.

It was clear that he was playing at a certain level and what was the next level? Are we going to be able to get a next level from him? And are we going to be able to provide the things for him that would allow him to take it to the next level?

Again, let's look at this in its true context. Go back to that moment, that 2001 offseason, when that offseason starts, we are in big salary cap trouble. You go back to the year before when we got there. In 2000, we were $10.5 million dollars over the salary cap, and the salary cap was much lower ($67.5M). The things we had to do get under the cap in the 2000 season? I think we signed maybe 28 rookie free agents just in order to fill our roster, and to go to training camp.

When we got under the cap in the beginning of March, we were down to 41 players. Forty-one players under contract! That was it. And then we had to build our football team to go to camp. Back in the day, teams were doing borrowing. They would simply take the player's contract, reduce the salary, give them a signing bonus, it would reduce the cap in that year. But that money's still chasing you. It's nothing more than credit card borrowing.

So the credit card borrowing had been done. And we were having to do multiple things: build a good football team, find good players, and then also get our cap in order which is what we were trying to do still into 2001. Heck, we were still trying to do it into 2002.

Dave Nugent, Brady's roommate and defensive end:His appearance had changed physically. He looked different. He carried himself a little bit more competently. Being a defensive player, I was in the defensive meetings and I remember specifically hearing guys like Lawyer Milloy making comments, being like, Man, you know, something's going on. Tom's really improved a lot. It was catching the eye of a lot of the veterans. They were noticing it so when he started climbing up that ladder on the depth chart, people understood why that was the case.

I remember Tom just didn't make a lot of mistakes. And, you know, I don't necessarily remember Drew making a lot of mistakes. But I just remember that Tom was climbing the ladder for a reason, and that if they had to play Tom I think there's players in the team that felt super comfortable with that.

Editor's note: This is Part I of Tom E. Curran's three-part series revisiting the rise of Tom Brady from sixth-round pick to seven-time Super Bowl champion. Click here to read Part II.

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An oral history of Tom Brady's ascension to the greatest QB in NFL history, part 1 - NBC Sports Boston

Ascension has posted an operating income of $676 million and an investment-buoyed $5.7 billion net income for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021.

The numbers are a clear turnaround from last years results, when the Catholic nonprofit landed more than $1 billion in the red with an operating loss of $639 million.

However, the systems management noted that COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and consumer hesitancy continue to have an adverse impact on the systems overall volumes during fiscal year 2021.

Government funding and favorable investment performance have contributed to the systems ability to sustain operations during this unprecedented time, the system wrote in an analysis accompanying its full-year operating results. Ascension is committed to managing discretionary expenses to focus on top priorities of caring for our patients and caregivers.

Ascension said that it has received $1.8 billion in Provider Relief Fund distributions across fiscal years 2020 and 2021 but estimates a systemwide COVID-19 impact of more than $1.9 billion.

Total operating revenue for the year came in at $27.2 billion, up from 2020s $25.3 billion. These yielded operating margins of 2.5% and negative 2.5%, respectively.

RELATED: Ascension posts $17M loss in Q3 but sees bright spots in patient volumes

Equivalent discharges and admissions were down 2.2% and 3.1% year over year. Emergency room visits dipped 10.7% from 2020 while urgent care visits plummeted 27.6%.

Ascension did see modest year-over-year volume gains among outpatient visits (3%) and inpatient and outpatient surgery visits (3.3%). Virtual care skyrocketed nearly 60% in the latest fiscal year, landing just shy of 1.5 million total visits.

Like other systems, Ascensions net profit for the year was boosted nearly $5.9 billion by its net investment return. It had lost over $418 million across its investments in fiscal year 2020.

Also seen across the industry was this years increase in total operating expenses. Ascension reported a $972 million (3.8%) year-over-year rise in its overall costs, with a jump in salaries, wages and employee benefits comprising $547 million of that increase (4.3%). Unexpected costs of contract labor also contributed an additional $164 million over fiscal year 2020, while supply expenses leapt $369 million (10.1%).

Ascension said it provided $2.3 billion in uncompensated care and other community benefits during fiscal year 2021. As of the end of June, it is sitting on 341 days of cash on hand.

Ascension employs roughly 150,000 associates and has 40,000 aligned providers. It operates over 2,600 sites, including 146 hospitals, across 19 states and Washington, D.C.

Its numbers for the year fit the trend reported by several other nonprofits. CommonSpirit, Mayo Clinic and Advocate Aurora have each reported a steady, but not full, rebound of volumes and revenue, although others, like Providence and Banner Health, stressed the rising impact higher expenses are having on their bottom lines.

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Ascension latest nonprofit to rebound with $5.7B net income for 2021 - FierceHealthcare

Nearly 250,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. While some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or even no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly.

Providers at Ascension Saint Thomas want to increase public awareness for the importance of prostate health and screenings, educating about risk factors and symptoms, and advocating for further research on prostate health issues.

Here are five things Ascension Saint Thomasphysicians recommend men know about prostate cancer:

1.) Having a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a mans risk of developing the disease.

2.) Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than age 40, but the chance of having prostate cancer rises rapidly after age 50.

3.) Prostate cancer occurs more often in African-American men than in other ethnicities. African-American men are also more than twice as likely to die of prostate cancer than Caucasian men.

4.) Prostate cancer can often be found before symptoms start by testing the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in a mans blood.

To lower the risk of cancer, including prostate cancer, men should focus on eating a diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meats and non-meat protein sources such as nuts and beans.

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Ascension Saint Thomas Physicians Recommend These 5 Things For Prostate Cancer Health - Wgnsradio

Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment will open talks with a Prairieville homeowners' association about costly repairs to their neighborhood's private drainage basin, even as some parish council members warned the move could start a precedent that would open a "Pandora's box" of requests from other subdivisions.

Drainage detention areas have become a favored way in Ascension and other Baton Rouge-area parishes to keep rainfall and flood water in new developments from dumping on neighboring homes. But almost all of the long-term maintenance of the ponds is left in the hands of homeowner's associations, which often don't have the funds or expertise to handle major problems.

Parish government is only involvedtypically through access rights to the centers of the ponds and their drainage outlets.

As the ponds have have proliferated, sedimentation, caving-in banks and other problems have cropped up. Some homeowners have sought help from local governments or the developers who built them sometimes through lawsuits.

Residents in the Shadows at Manchac neighborhood in Ascension Parish have asked the East Ascension drainage district for help with unusual dry detention areas in the less-than-decade-old subdivision. They have blamed chronic street flooding in the 158-home community north of La. 42 on the detention area's failures, parish officials have said.

Unlike the more common "wet" detention areas that have standing ponds, Shadows at Manchac has dry reservoirs -- four in succession around 1,000 yards long and separated by weirs -- that are only supposed to hold water temporarily during rains and flooding and slowly release water into Cotton Bayou.

But the detention areas have remained wet, becoming difficult for the association to maintain. Culverts and weirs that are supposed to control the flow of water have also been damaged, parish officials have said.

Officials in Ascension's eastern drainage district have been mulling what to do for months. A recent engineering analysis calls for nearly $380,000 in repairs to weirs, culverts and removal of mud but the parish would need expanded rights of access.

On Monday, Cointment called the problems in Shadows at Manchac a unique situation and said they presented a long-term drainage risk outside the neighborhood that legally justified public spending.

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"I think there is somewhat of an engineering flaw and a little bit of a flaw in the construction. The problem with this one is if it continues to degrade, you could not only have problems and possible flooding within the neighborhood but with adjoining neighbors to this subdivision, so a drainage problem beyond the subdivision," he said.

His comments came in response to a question from Councilman Joel Robert, who asked Cointment how many private detention ponds were currently in Ascension Parish. Cointment would not venture a guess, saying he didn't have a number.

Robert said he believes the parish needs to be more aggressive in inspecting the original construction and later maintenance of the ponds and forcing developers to put money aside for future costs.

"I dont feel like it's the parish's place to go in here. I do feel for them." Robert said. But without knowing how many ponds there are, Robert felt the parish could be opening itself up to a flood of expensive new requests.

Councilman Chase Melancon, the drainage vice chairman, also aired concerns about setting a costly precedent for the parish drainage district.

So did Councilman Aaron Lawler, whose district includes the property, though he supported allowing Cointment to talk to the homeowners association.

The district panel, which is made of the 10 of 11 council members who represent eastern Ascension, voted on a 7-1 vote to allow Cointment to start talks about expanding access to the detention areas and reach other legal agreements to do the work. The panel would need to take another vote to start the work.

Only Robert was opposed. Council members Teri Casso and Michael Mason were absent.

Excerpt from:

Should Ascension Parish help fix a subdivision's controversial flooding prevention reservoirs? - The Advocate

SAGINAW, MI Ascension plans to invest $125 million into its hospitals in Saginaw, Standish and Tawas City.

Ascension officials have announced a plan to invest $125 million in operational capital into the health systems northern Michigan health ministries, which includes Ascension St. Marys Hospital in Saginaw, Ascension Standish Hospital in Standish and Ascension St. Joseph Hospital in Tawas City.

In a news release, health system officials said this investment is evidence of the organizations ongoing commitment to the growth and success of its three northern Michigan hospitals that was initiated in May 2018 when $50 million was dedicated to facility renovations and upgrades, advanced imaging technology, various patient care enhancements and an $18 million emergency care center expansion at Ascension St. Marys Hospital in downtown Saginaw. In total, this equates to $175 million of investment into Ascensions northern Michigan hospitals.

This latest capital dollar commitment will support multiple strategic growth initiatives identified through the development of master facility plans including:

This exciting news is possible thanks to the dedication and commitment of our associates, physicians and hospital leaders who work hard each and every day to provide compassionate, personalized care, Ascension Michigans Chief Operating Officer Joe Hurshe said in a statement. We are thrilled these enhancements will be coming to fruition and our care teams can continue to be proud of the incredible work and service they provide to the communities we are privileged to serve.

Ascension officials plan to release additional details and timelines for the projects in the coming weeks.

I am so overjoyed by this announcement and Ascensions acknowledgment of the great work performed at our healthcare sites, Stephanie Duggan, MD, regional president and CEO of Ascension Michigan Northern Ministries, said in a statement.

Ascensions ongoing investment and commitment to the northern Michigan ministries is a validation of what we have been working towards. This is all about our patients, they are at the center of everything we do. Its a testament to our front line caregivers and medical providers who continue to fulfill our Mission of caring for all. We will be here for generations to come.

Ascension is a faith-based health care organization that has served Michigan for more than 140 years. Ascension operates 16 hospitals and hundreds of related health care facilities across the state, employing more than 23,000 people in Michigan. In fiscal year 2020, Ascension provided more than $311 million in community benefit and care of people living in poverty in Michigan.

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Ascension investing $125 million into Saginaws St. Marys Hospital, others in northern Michigan - MLive.com

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) More people moving to Middle Tennessee is creating the need for more healthcare. The Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford hospital in Murfreesboro is expanding, but leaders said its something they always knew was coming.

We have been serving this community since 1927 and back at our old facility we had 216 beds and when we made the decision to move to this location we knew that we had to build the facility in such a way that it could be expanded to accommodate the population, said Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford President/CEO Gordon Ferguson. The driving factor of this expansion is our commitment to providing higher-level acuity services. A couple of examples of them include the fact that we are working towards being designated a Level II trauma center.

The $110 million projects will increase the hospitals bed count to 416, and include the following enhancements:

According to Ferguson, the growing population of Middle Tennessee warrants additional services and capacity. They are in the early stages of recruiting additional specialists as the hospital works towards becoming a Level II Trauma Center. Leaders felt this was necessary given the hospitals proximity to the interstate and its location between Nashville and Chattanooga. Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford also received approval earlier this year to initiate open-heart surgery.

We have just been very fortunate that with the specialties we are providing here that we are able to take care of individuals not just from Rutherford County but also our surrounding counties where were seeing quite a few of our patients from the regional facilities that are part of our system, Ferguson explained. I think really when you look at our location you certainly see a large number of our patients coming from Murfreesboro, Rutherford county, but we are also seeing more patients coming into this facility coming from the outlying areas. I think thats in part because some of the older population may not feel as comfortable driving up to Nashville for care.

Ferguson said he wants their staff to work in an environment where they are comfortable, especially in light of the stress being placed on healthcare workers who were on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Weve got a lot of natural light coming in, weve got areas of the hospital where our nurses can go to just be quiet, and really the centerpiece of our hospital is a chapel thats located just off the lobby. I think with our staff going through stressful times its important for us to have an environment that makes them feel there are areas where they know they can get away and have some respite, said Ferguson.

During our interview, Friday, Ferguson was dressed in scrubs as he said leaders wanted to visit with staff members who were giving their all day in and day out.

We made the decision to spend time out on the floors with our staff. I dont normally dress this way but our staff, I will say, are tired, Ferguson explained. I think there are some that honestly are somewhat frustrated that about 96% of the COVID patients that we have here are unvaccinated. We are going to beat the drum to really promote the vaccination. But Ill take my hat off to our staff. They are truly committed to providing care to all of our patients and work through some of the exhaustion that they are experiencing.

Construction is expected to get started later this year and is anticipated to be completed by 2024.

Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford opened its New Salem Surgery Center last month with work on the Westlawn Surgery Center Currently underway.

Groundbreaking is scheduled to happen Wednesday next door to that property off Veterans Parkway for a neighborhood hospital, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford at Westlawn.

Officials said it will be a first-of-its-kind facility for the state of Tennessee to complement the main hospital and will include the following:

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Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford expands hospital, building new neighborhood hospital - WKRN News 2

EBR and Ascension going halfsies on clearing Bayou Manchac following floods

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East Baton Rouge and Ascension parishes have reached an agreement to share the expenses of clearing and snagging Bayou Manchac, a key drainage basin for both parishes.

Ward Creek and Bayou Fountain in East Baton Rouge Parish as well as Bluff Swamp and Spanish Lake in Ascension all drain into Bayou Manchac.

Clearing and snagging the bayou will help stormwater drain more effectively.

The projects cost is unknown but is estimated to be at least $400,000. Director of Transportation and Drainage Fred Raiford estimates Baton Rouges share of the cost will be about $200,000money he says will come from some of the parishs American Rescue Plan dollars.

Mayor Sharon Weston Broome has already pledged to direct some $40 million in federal pandemic relief funds to local drainage projects.

In Ascension Parish, the East Ascension Drainage Board has approved $200,000 so far for the project, which will come from the East Ascension Drainage Fund.

Though it might seem like a no-brainer for two parishes that share a watershed to partner on regional drainage projects, the collaborative approach is relatively new for the Capital Region.

Raiford says several factors came together to make this project happen:

The May 17 flood earlier this year underscored the urgent need for regional cooperation.

Federal funds that could be put toward the project became available, courtesy of the ARP.

The state agreed to remove for five years Bayou Manchacs scenic byways designation, making it easier to cut down trees and clear stumps.

Iberville Parish, which also shares the watershed, is not yet a party to the agreement. But Raiford says he expects Iberville will ultimately join Ascension and East Baton Rouge parishes in the cost-sharing arrangement.

Clearing and snagging Bayou Manchac is just part of the solution to addressing Baton Rouges growing drainage and flooding problems.

On Monday, the Planning Commission took up nine projects that are located wholly or in part in areas at high risk for flooding. Most of the developments received approval, though one was denied and another was deferred 30 days, according to news reports. Critics of the parish development pattern have argued that new development in areas that once served as a natural drainage basin has made the local flooding problem worse.

As parts of Baton Rouge experienced flooding (last week) from Tropical Storm Nicholas, it is alarming that the Planning Commission is considering approving new developments in the FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Zones in many of those same areas, says Baton Rouge Sierra Club Executive Commission member Angelle Bradford.

The Bayou Manchac proposal will be introduced at Wednesdays Metro Council meeting and will be voted on by the council in October.

This storyoriginally appeared in a Sept. 20 edition ofDaily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics,subscribe to the freeDaily Reporte-newsletter here.

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EBR and Ascension going halfsies on clearing Bayou Manchac following floods - 225 Baton Rouge

The ACHS Bulldogs beat 3A Archbishop Hannan 30-8 and gave new head coach Chris Schexnayder his first career victory.

First win of the season; I am just glad that we finally got to play. It was a tough game against a good opponent on the road, said coach Chris Schexnayder.

The Bulldogs were originally supposed to be the home team, but their home field, Floyd Boutte Memorial Stadium, is still not ready. So, after some planning, the Bulldogs traveled to Pearl River to face the Hawks.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Hawks got on the board first when a snap sailed over ACHS punter Landon Szubinskis head and out of the end zone for a safety. The Bulldogs would not allow another score until 30 seconds left in the game.

Khai Prean scored from 5 yards out and the Bulldogs led 7-2, early in the second quarter. The Bulldogs forced three first half turnovers, including interceptions by Lex Melancon and Brooks Leonard. Those turnovers led to good field position and the Bulldogs' second score, a 9-yard touchdown run by quarterback Bryce Leonard.

Leonard finished with 96 yards rushing, 139 yards passing and a touchdown.

The second half belonged to ACHS as the defense continued to pressure quarterback Billy Rabensteiner with sacks and negative plays.

JMond Tapp of Ascension Catholic finished with 3 sacks, 5 pressures, a blocked field goal and a forced fumble.

We had a lot of people around the ball, which led to turnovers and really good field position, Schexnayder said.

The Bulldog offense scored one touchdown in the second half, a 2-yard touchdown by Tapp. The defense stepped up yet again in the fourth quarter when Prean intercepted a Hawk pass and returned it for a touchdown. ACHS outside linebacker Noah Robichaux tackled Rubensteiner in the end zone for a safety and a 30-2 lead. The Hawks added a late touchdown for the final tally.

ACHS has transitioned to a new spread offense and there were moments of flash, but it still a work in progress.

We havent had a lot of practice team. It took us a quarter or so to find our rhythm on offense, still plenty room to improve and execute better, the coach said.

Wide receiver Calvin Delone had a nice night with five catches for 70 yards, followed by Brooks Leonard with 3 catches for 39 yards. Bryce Leonard made big plays all night with his legs and picked up some key first downs. Linebacker Patrick Cannciene led with eight tackles, and Melancon finished with two interceptions to lead the defense along with constant pressure by Tapp and defensive linemen Tre Williams. The Bulldogs know they must continue to improve as the season progresses.

We are not in football game shape yet due to the stoppages in practice and play. I was happy that the kids fought through it and played together, Schexnayder said.

With the win, ACHS will head to Vermillion Catholic on Friday and face a really good D4 team. VC is going to be a great test for us, they are a great program an always make it deep in the playoffs, we look forward to see how we match up, Schexnayder said.

Football results:

Donaldsonville (2-0) beat White Castle 46-6

Next: Thrive Academy (Plaquemine stadium)

Ascension Catholic (1-0) defeated Hannan 30-8

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Next: At Vermilion Catholic

Ascension Christian (1-1) won over Ben Franklin 47-22

Next: At Houma Christian

Brother Martin squeaked by East Ascension (0-2) 8-7

Next: open

Dutchtown (2-0) beat Covington 37-15

Next: Opponent not announced at press time

St. Amant (2-0) topped Kennedy 42-24

Next: Opelousas

Volleyball roundup:

(As of Sept. 18)

Dutchtown 6-2

East Ascension 4-4

St Amant 3-3

Ascension Catholic 4-4

Ascension Christian 2-0

Dutchtown's Alexis Lagarbo has committed to play volleyball in 2022 at Southeastern Louisiana University. She recently signed to take her talents to SLU.

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Ascension Catholic football gives head coach first win - The Advocate

Gonzales cancels events

Mayor Barney Arceneaux is canceling his annual Mayors Prayer Breakfast, scheduled for Nov. 9, and the annual city of Gonzales Senior Citizens Christmas party, scheduled for Dec. 14.

After consulting with our medical professionals and other elected officials, I have decided to cancel these events due to the present public health concerns, Arceneaux said.

Arceneaux said he hopes we can return to these and other gatherings next year.

The Ascension Parish Library is helping students learn how to access free ACT and SAT online practice tests, write a strong application essay and receive homework help, all through the librarys databases. Printed resources available to help improve test scores and how to apply for scholarships will also be explored.

An ACT and SAT test prep workshop for college-bound students will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Ascension Parish Library in Gonzales. A second session will be held at 11:30 a.m. to accommodate anticipated audiences. This additional session will feature the same material.

The program is designed for teens in grades 1012. Registration is required and space is limited. Interested students should register by calling (225) 647-3955. Masks may be required.

As COVID-19 continues to impact the area, many events are being canceled or moved to a virtual program.

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We're listing planned events, but be aware that anything could get canceled. Call or visit websites to verify the event will be held.

The staff at the Ascension Parish Health Unit reminds residents they can get the COVID-19 vaccine at the health unit.

The Moderna vaccine is available at the Ascension Parish Health Unit, 1024 S. East Ascension Complex Blvd., in Gonzales. Appointments are available by calling (225) 450-1425.

For information, visithttps://ldh.la.gov/covidvaccine/.

Take off Pounds Sensibly meets starting with weigh-in at 9:15 a.m. and meeting at 10 a.m. every Thursday at the fellowship hall at Carpenter's Chapel Church, 41181 La. 933, in Prairieville. Dues are $5 a month. For information, call Miriam Sanchez at (225) 202-8521.

The Recycling Center is at the Department of Public Works headquarters, 42077 Churchpoint Road, in Gonzales. Operating hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

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Around Ascension for Sept 122 2021 | Ascension | theadvocate.com - The Advocate