Category Archives: Ascension

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PRAIRIEVILLEWhen Ascension Parish voters head to the polls Aug. 15, they will be asked to weigh in on an uncommon question whether to reduce a property tax.

Ascension Parish Library officials want voters to consolidate and renew the longstanding property taxes for the 60-year-old library system but at a rate 15% below current levels.

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

Library officials say rising land values, new construction and an expanding industrial base will allow the four-branch library system to afford the cut in tax revenue and, along with reserves judiciously preserved by past leaders, continue previous expansion plans that include a new branch in St. Amant and big upgrades in Donaldsonville.

"We're hoping that this will be a good will gesture in our community and also show people that we are responsible with their tax money," said Jennifer Patterson, the library director.

This table shows the difference in revenue growth for the Ascension Parish Library system from 2021 to 2030 between the existing millage rate and a reduction proposed on the ballot Aug. 15. Library officials are seeking a tax renewal that would lower the current millage rate by .99 mills, from 6.59 mills to 5.6 mills. The library has rolled back its millage rate in recent years to the current level but retains the legal authority to levy up to 6.8 mills. The ballot measure would reduce the maximum levy to 5.6 mills. Ascension library and Assessor's Office officials developed this graphic.

In a parish that has roundly rejected new taxes for parish government over the past decade, some parish officials are now saying they may pursue the millage capacity the library could surrender to use for roads or other infrastructure.

"You know, I have had more than one councilman say to me, 'I would like to see it be utilized for roads,'" said Councilwoman Teri Casso, the council chair and a member of the library board. "I don't know of anything that is more needed in Ascension Parish than (roads) and that needs a dedicated revenue source."

If approved by voters, the library's two property taxes would be consolidated and reduced from a combined 6.59 mills to 5.6 mills. In 2020, 1 mill is projected to generate about $1.53 million.

A family with a $250,000 home would save $17.33 per year if voters approve the property tax reduction. Their annual tax bill for the library would drop to $98. Businesses would save considerably more.

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

GONZALES Improving roads, drainage and other infrastructure in Ascension Parish and finding a way to pay for that work without new taxes wer

In 2010, as the council was then considering whether to put the library tax renewals on the ballot, then-Parish Councilman Chris Loar gave voice to an idea quietly discussed among some in the parish's political and business leadership at the time.

The parish library system and some other parish entities with longstanding dedicated property taxes were over-funded, they argued. Those taxes could be partially reprioritized toward the parish's ailing roads and other infrastructure needs without a tax increase and little pain to the entities that lost the revenue because of continued growth in land values and construction.

Loar proposed a 38% cut in the library's millage rate that could be rededicated later to roads. But he encountered opposition from the library's leadership and their patrons, who argued the reduction would gut services and expansion plans. Library officials prevailed in convincing a majority of the council to put the existing millage rates on the ballot that fall. Voters endorsed them more than 2-1.

A decade later, with those taxes back up for renewal, new leadership at the library system had gone into a two- to three-year dive into their finances and worked with the Assessor's Office before proposing the cut.

"We pretty much went down line by line and looked at expenses and what can we control and run better," said Henry Schexnayder, the chairman of the library board and a banker.

With the reduction, the library's annual revenue would drop by $1.5 million to $2.2 million. Based on the assessor's projections, the library would need six years to surpass what it would collect in the first year if the existing rates were renewed, when revenues are projected to hit nearly $11 million.

Large industrial tax exemptions granted in the late 2000s and early 2010s, when plants like CF Industries underwent major expansions, are expected to end in the mid-2020s.

Even with the downturn caused by the novel coronavirus shutdown, Assessor M.J. "Mert" Smiley Jr. said, the 10-year projections remain solid: "I dont have any doubt, unless the economy would just take a huge dive, and we're recovering already. I dont see those (revenue projections) as unrealistic at all."

The push to cut the library taxes has come as library officials are charting a more modern vision for the system. While plans include adding new buildings with plenty of books, the board has shifted from large stand-alone libraries toward a community center concept that joins them with other government entities and recreational amenities. These branches would also expand on electronic and other offerings to specific communities and younger generations more geared to online information.

"So, the library had to acknowledge, recognize and appreciate that it continues to have a role in this new way of gathering knowledge, but it has to be relevant. It could not continue to be the library of the '50s and '60s. It can't," Casso added.

GONZALES A debate over how much property tax voters should be asked to support this fall for Ascension Parish public libraries heads toward

Parish and library officials say the library's decision to seek a reduction in the rate is independent of the discussions to use the leftover millage for roads at some future date. Ideas about using that taxing capacity for infrastructure are in the discussion stage.

Traffic has been a chronic complaint in Ascension for more than two decades. The parish's top-ranked schools and booming industrial sector have allowed Ascension to flourish into a Baton Rouge suburb. The parish population has grown by 65% between 2000 and 2019, hitting an estimated 126,604 people in July 2019, census data show.

Parish government has adopted road impact fees, created special new taxing districts for maintenance of new neighborhood roads, and established the nearly $70 million Move Ascension road program to match local dollars with state and federal resources for smaller-scale capacity upgrades.

But the parish only has a two-thirds of a half-cent sales tax dedicated to road construction. Approved by voters in 1994, the sales tax generates around $8 million per year, which officials say isn't enough to finance major capacity road projects.

Councilman Aaron Lawler, who followed Loar in representing one of Ascension's high-growth Prairieville districts, said he is open to using the forgonelibrary millage for roads. He would prefer, however, a new sales tax because it generates more money and, he says, is more broadly shared. But Parish President Clint Cointment opposes the idea of a new sales tax.

"Right now, we're not keeping up," said Lawler, who is the council transportation chairman. "Not just with growth, but with what has happened in the past. We need improvements."

Ascension Parish Councilman Chris Loar didnt receive a lot of plaudits for form last week from some councilmen when he suggested taking a por

Early voting for the library tax renewal starts Saturday and ends Aug. 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Community meetings at Ascension Parish libraries

Ascension Parish Library is holding community meetings about the upcoming library funding renewal at each location on the following dates: Gonzales on Wednesday, July 15; Galvez on Thursday, July 16; Donaldsonville on Tuesday, July 21; and Dutchtown on Thursday, July 23. All community meetings will take place at 6 p.m.

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Ascension Parish Clerk of Court Bridget Hanna has announced the dates for qualifying as a candidate for the Nov. 3 election. Qualifying will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.July 22-24 at the Clerks Office, 815 E. Worthey St., Gonzales, or 300 Houmas St., Donaldsonville.

Qualifying will be held for the following offices: 23rd Judicial District judges; 23rd Judicial District attorney; justices of the peace; constables; Donaldsonville council members and mayor; and Gonzales mayor, chief of police and council members.

The cost for qualifying for each office is listed at ascensionclerk.com. Fees are payable in cash, cashiers check, or money order to the Ascension Parish Clerk of Court.

For information, call the Clerks Office at (225) 473-9866 or (225) 621-8400, ext. 223.

The Ascension Parish School Board announced it was alerted to a scam by Sports Media Advertising/Marketing out of Fort Worth, Texas. The business is soliciting sponsorships from local businesses to develop branded high school merchandise.

Ascension Parish schools do not have a partnership or relationship with this company, nor is this company authorized to produce merchandise using any Ascension high school logos, which are trademarked by the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office, the School Board announced.

If your company is approached by any business soliciting sponsorships for a school, call the school first to verify or ask the company for proof that they are an authorized partner.

Join the Ascension Parish Library for the Basics of Backyard Beekeeping virtual presentation at 6 p.m. July 22 via Zoom. Join Chairity Waugh to learn all about backyard beekeeping. Waugh will discuss things to consider before getting the bees, the basic beekeeping equipment, basic information about bees including their life cycle, how to acquire bees, basic tips for inspecting a beehive and nectar plants in Louisiana.

To learn more on how to become a successful beekeeper, register for this virtual Zoom presentation by calling Gonzales (225) 647-3955, Galvez (225) 622-3955, Dutchtown (225) 673-8699, or Donaldsonville (225) 473-8052. Once registered, the library will send an email with meeting information for the scheduled session. To join the live session, you will need the meeting room ID from email, or you can click on the direct link found in your email.

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Around Ascension for July 15, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com - The Advocate

An Ascension Parish couple has been arrested on accusations the wife arranged for a 16-year-old to have sex with her husband, sheriff's deputies said Wednesday.

Donna Martinez, 37, and Jose Martinez, 38, of Prairieville, admitted to sheriff's deputies about their role in the scheme and the subsequent act, Ascension deputies said in a statement.

Deputies arrested and booked Jose Martinez on Monday on a single count of first-degree rape; e his wife, Donna Martinez, was booked the same day on a count of being a principal to first-degree rape.

Their arrests followed a complaint filed earlier the same morning.

Deputies said early Wednesday the Martinezes remained in Ascension Parish Prison with bail of $200,000 on each.

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Prairieville couple arrested in rape of 16-year-old, deputies say - The Advocate

With the impending season, here are five questions that will loom in 2020:

The high-school football season is now rapidly approaching. Were only about a month and half away from week one.

With the impending season, here are five questions that will loom in 2020:

What will high-school football look like?

Due to the Coronavirus, there is tremendous uncertainty heading into the season. As of right now, the season is on track to begin on time. However, with the recent surge of new cases of the virus, the start of the season could be delayed. Full-contact practices can't begin until the state enters Phase III, and it will take at least five weeks of preparation for the players to be ready for the first game. And if the season is played, there are serious questions regarding fans. There could be limits on how many fans attend the games, and there is a chance no fans will be allowed to attend.

Will Ascension Catholic continue to dominate the district?

Last season, Ascension Catholic completed an undefeated regular season for the first time in more than 50 years. In that run, they steamrolled district opponents by a combined score of 198-19, en route to winning the District 7-1A crown. The Bulldogs will lose Nicholls signee and two-time All-State running back Jai Williams, along with All-State offensive lineman Nick Hilliard. But they will return quarterbacks Bryce Leonard and Jacob Dunn. Running back Khai Prean returns after making all-district as a freshman, and so does first-team all-district tight end and defensive lineman J'Mond Tapp.

Will East Ascension continue to dominate their parish counterparts?

East Ascension has had a great run in the past three years. In that time, they've gone 25-5 during the regular season. In the past two seasons, they've had the upper hand over parish and district counterparts Dutchtown and St. Amant. They've beaten them both two years in a row. In fact, their 34-7 win over St. Amant was their most lopsided victory over the Gators since 2015. The Spartans haven't lost to St. Amant since 2017, and they haven't dropped a game against Dutchtown since 2015. Although, the Griffins pushed East Ascension to the limit last season. The Spartans pulled it out, 29-24. East Ascension ended up going 8-2 and reaching the second round of the playoffs.

How will Dylan Sampson follow up 2019?

Dutchtown's Dylan Sampson exploded onto the scene last season as a sophomore first-year starter. The track star used his blazing speed to shred defenses on his way to being named All-State honorable mention and Ascension Parish Offensive MVP. Sampson rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns. He averaged an absurd 11.6 yards per carry. Dutchtown went 7-3 and was knocked off in the first round of the playoffs, but it certainly wasn't because of Sampson. In defeat, he piled up 280 total yards and four touchdowns. But he will be without his top offensive lineman in 2020. The Griffins lose Riley Lawrence, a first-team all-district selection.

Can St. Amant bounce back?

St. Amant uncharacteristically struggled in 2020. They finished 5-5 and missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2011. They finished just 2-3 in district play, and they lost to both Dutchtown and East Ascension for the first time since 2013. Their defeat to archrival East Ascension came by 27 points. The Gators will try to turn things around this season, but it won't be easy. They lost running back Lathan Vaughn and the receiver duo of Javin Augillard and Austin Bascom. However, they will return quarterbacks Cole Poirrier and Slade Zeppuhar, running back Reggie Sims and first-team all-district defensive back Evan Bourgeois.

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Five questions for the 2020 parish football season - Weekly Citizen

It's important to keep your car clean from bacteria. Here's what solutions you should use. USA TODAY

C. Mikel Oglesby doesnt think the end is nigh for public transportation.

Dire predictions have swirled about transits future as COVID-19 has upended the economy and kept commuters at home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested riding in a car alone is preferable to both ride sharing and public transportation, and ridership in general is down dramatically in many cities.

Its been about two months since Oglesby took the reins as Detroits executive director of transit, and its been an unprecedented period. Nothing in his 20 years in transit, he said last week,prepared him for a pandemic, but he said the Detroit Department of Transportation is working to meet the challenge.

Public transportation does have a future, Oglesby said, because of simple economics. New cars are expensive.

Residents exit and board the DDOT bus in front of Ascension St. John Hospital on Moross Road in Detroit on July 10, 2020. Fare collection has been temporarily suspended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect essential bus drivers. Detroit Department of Transportation also provides surgical masks to all riders.(Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)

Kelley Blue Book highlighted the affordability dilemma when it noted that the estimated average transaction price for a light vehicle in the United States last month was $38,530, up 3.1% from a year prior and 0.4% from May. This is also a time of high unemployment 11% in June and economic uncertainty.

A lot of people arent making a lot of money and you know they can take what they can afford. Hey, let me get on this bus, Oglesby said during a Transportation Riders United webinar, describing what a potential rider might say. All of a sudden they realize this isnt too bad. I should have been doing this a long time ago, and then boom you have a rider. We may lose some riders but gain others.

More: Retired DDOT union President Fred Westbrook Jr. dies of coronavirus

More: Detroit official to frustrated bus drivers: Sorry, but hazard pay will come a week late

Thats a rosy vision in a period of grim news. The developers of the popular Transit app, which helps transit users navigate their public transportation journeys, said on Thursday that transit demand was down 53% below normal. Demand was down in cities across the country. The San Francisco Bay Area, for example, was down a stunning 79% on Thursday. By comparison, Detroit saw a less dramatic but still significant decline in demand of 37% on the same day.

Theres no question the picture for transit and much else has changed from just a few months ago.

Downtowns like Detroits, which had seen dramatic, resurgent interest in recent years, are suddenly not the place to be, as many office workers explore what it means to truly telecommute, professional sports and artistic performances remain on hold, bars in this part of Michigan are closed and restaurants operate at partial capacity. That shift is clear in how Detroits transit systems have reacted, scaling back service even as they change how they handle the routes that they are maintaining, at least for now, withrear boarding, no fare collections and new bus cleaning protocols.

C. Mikel Oglesby.(Photo: City of Detroit)

And Detroits suburban bus system, SMART, has stopped its commuter routes, meaning that aside from three limited-stop, express routes on Woodward, Gratiot and Michigan, and an advance reservation service, Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation buses are not runningdowntown.

Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United, said people who have a choice will be slow to return to using transit and that some will be looking to work from home more. But right now, much remains unknown.

How fast transit is going to come back, there isnt a lot of data around that, she said.

Those with higher incomes havemore choices, and their future usage of public transportation is most in question.

Transit found in its data that more of those continuing to use public transportation in the pandemic are women, people of color, those with lower incomes and people who have been deemed essential workers.

An older woman waits for the bus in front of Ascension St. John Hospital on Moross Road in Detroit on July 10, 2020. Fare collection has been temporarily suspended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect essential bus drivers. Detroit Department of Transportation also provides surgical masks to all riders.(Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)

A lot of bus riders are essential workers that cant work from home, Owens said. Theres no doubt that transit ... will continue to be essential for those essential workers who are low income and dont have other choices and honestly may become more important as this economic crisis continues.

Owens also noted the pandemic has challenged the idea pushed by some transit opponents that ride sharing can replace public transportation. If there are fewer drivers available, service drops and prices rise. Scooters offer another example, Owens said, as many have been pulled off city streets in recent months.

In June, Rob Alberts, the executive director of the North American International Auto Show and the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, described to a virtual crowd during an Automotive Press Association event a new era for vehicle ownership following earlier predictions that it might disappear. Alberts said he doesnt envision ride sharing and crowded public transportation replacing personal mobility any time soon.

Because of what were going through in this pandemic, the pendulum is swinging back to owning and leasing vehicles. Just a few months ago ridesharing was being touted as the end all. It was only a year ago that an editorial in the New York Times said owning a car will soon be as quaint as owning a horse. The article went on to say that owning a car would be a hobby, a cool thing to take out for a spin on a weekend. Sometimes it takes something like what were going through to rekindle a love affair with what we have.

What were going through, the pandemic, is what prompted Kirk Sellke to cancel a planned trip to Colorado this summer. Instead, Sellke, his wife and their three children will be heading to northern lower Michigan from their home in Bloomfield Hills in August. Theylltravelto Colorado hopefully next year. Instead of flying, which was how Sellke planned to get there, Sellke now expects to drive.

Sellke, 45, is no transit opponent. When he lived and worked in Chicago early in his career, he regularly took the L, and he said he wouldnt be hesitant to get on a train or bus now. He reasons that he and his family are healthy and dont have compromised immune systems, and they take what precautions they can. He kept a car when he lived in Chicago, despite the hassles of parking and traffic congestion, because hed visit his parents in the suburbs, and it was simply faster to drive.

Kirk Sellke of Bloomfield Hills poses with his new Chevrolet Suburban and Silverado. Sellkes reaction to the pandemic was to opt for a larger vehicle when he traded in a Chevrolet Traverse for the Suburban in June.(Photo: Karen Sellke)

Rather than affecting his choices on transit, pandemic considerations affected something else for Sellke, who works for a cyber security firm.He signed a lease in June at Matick Chevrolet in Redfordfor a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban, trading in a Chevy Traverse, and a payment of about $757 per month.

Weve made a conscious choice to get a larger vehicle, so we have the opportunities to take family road trips. The pandemic kind of motivated that, Sellke said.

The Sellke family chose a larger vehicle in response to the pandemic, but they arent the only vehicle shoppers who have been influenced by the pandemic.

This is clearly on peoples minds, said Jenni Newman, editor in chief of Cars.com, which conducted a survey related to the pandemics impact on transportation choices and preferences. There are a lot of people looking for cars.

She noted that visits to the site were up 10% week over week in June.

The survey found that 67% of respondents 516 people accessing Cars.com in early June were randomly selected said the pandemic had increased their reliance on or need for a personal vehicle. That came, even as 70% said theyd experienced a reduction in commuting for work. Fourteen percent said their normal work commute had been permanently changed.

Deanne Austin hasnt taken the bus in months, not since a DDOT shutdown over driver concerns. The 34-year-old academic interventionist working at a Detroit Public Schools high school was panicky, worrying about how she would get food and cat litter. It was stressful for the Detroit resident and transit advocate.

But Austin, who has never had a car, relying on family when she needs to, also had other worries about the virus because she has asthma.

So shes stayed off the bus, and she doesnt know when shell return.

Its the COVID disclaimer. I would be foolish to say everything will be back to normal. I definitely believe Ill be back on the bus, but it might be a bit later, Austin said. I always look to the guidelines. I do have to take health into consideration.

When she does return, Austin said shell look for routes with fewer transfers and once again blend a reliance on Uber and Lyft with public transportation. Those private services, however, are not cheap, and theyve become less so, she said, since the pandemic.

Ride share is expensive, and Im not a millionaire, she said.

Part of the reason rideshare has been in Austins life has been the state of the citys public transportation system, which, she said,had seen recent improvements but still left much to be desired for people who rely on it. Despite its nickname as the Motor City, Detroit has many households without vehicles, so Austins transportation choices arent unusual.

Kevin Watkins has been a bus driver for almost a quarter of a century, and recent months have tested his resolve.

I have like 24 years and 9 months and some days I feel like I can continue. Some days with this COVID-19 I feel like calling it quits, he said.

Detroit Department of Transportation bus driver Kevin Watkins, 54, of Harper Woods will have worked at DDOT for 25 years in August and says drivers are worried about their safety and health. Watkins is seen in the reflection on the windshield of his bus while making a stop at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit on July 10, 2020.(Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)

Because of social distancing requirements, Watkins, 54, of Harper Woods has to pass up people who want to ride his bus. It makes it bad for the drivers and bad for those who have to wait longer. With much of the city opening back up, people get upset.

He said the city has stepped up its efforts to protect drivers, but still falls short on hazard pay, for instance, and not making sure all riders wear masks. He noted the death of driver Jason Hargrove, who died of COVID-19. That was after awoman had been coughing on Hargrove's bus and he posted a video exposing bus driver concerns.

Recently, Watkins had a run in with a rider, a woman in her 30s, one morning near 7 Mile and Ryan.

Passengers there were about a dozen on board were complaining because the woman was sneezing and coughing. She wore a mask, but one of the quirks Watkins has seen with other mask wearers is that when they sneeze or cough, they automatically pull the mask down, exposing their mouths.

Those are typically inadvertent, but this woman was doing it deliberately. Watkins said he tried to get her to stop, even asking her to get off the bus, but she refused.

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Watkins stopped the bus and called for help. Instead of just getting off the bus, the woman walked to the front, pulled down the chain thats now used to separate the drivers area from the rest of the passengers DDOT and SMART are working to equip buses with sneeze guards and wiped her hands on the steering wheel and other areas before leaving.

It was a troubling situation, but Watkins saidmask wearing on buses has remainedoptional even if the department has beendistributing masks to riders.

It doesnt make sense to have social distancing on the coach if you dont require (riders) to wear masks, Watkins said.

Detroit Department of Transportation bus driver Kevin Watkins, 54, of Harper Woods will have worked at DDOT for 25 years in August and says drivers are worried about their safety and health. Watkins checks on his bus while making a stop at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit on July 10, 2020.(Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)

But masks are only part of the picture. In an attempt to maintain social distancing, boardings must be limited, meaning at busy stops not everyone can get on.

Glenn Tolbert, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26, which represents DDOT drivers, said arguments will break out over those kinds of issues.

I dont want them to get in an altercation, he said of his drivers. Its a very tricky, slippery slope.

The system is also short on active drivers, many of whom are out because of COVID-19. That puts even more pressure on the system, which cant staff all of its runs.

Maybe by the end of the summer well be up to full capacity, Tolbert said.

Despite the issues, Tolbert said riders have been out in large numbers.

The citys back awake and alive, and people are back out, he said. We havent lost many riders, no not at all.

And since the system is not taking fares for the foreseeable future Its hard to open that fare box and still keep the workers safe plenty of people, including those who are homeless, are riding the bus, Tolbert said.

Looking beyond the pandemic, Tolbert said he sees a robust future for public transportation.

Everybodys not going to have a car. Everybody cant afford a car. Everybody cant maintain a car, Tolbert said. Public transportations a great way to get around if you make people feel safe and its clean and you can depend on it.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence. Phoebe Wall Howard contributed to this report.

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Does the bus stand a chance in the era of COVID-19? Experts say yes - Detroit Free Press

July 20, 2020By: Dwayne Page

A man, woman and two small children were involved in a one car crash Saturday afternoon on Petty Road.

Trooper Troy Withers of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that 22 year old Deanna Gibbs of Smithville was traveling east on Petty Road in a 1999 Volkswagen when the car went off the right side of the narrow road and struck a tree. Passengers in the car were 21 year old Christopher Gibbs, a 3 year old boy, and a one and a half year old girl. Ms Gibbs and the baby girl were transported from the scene by DeKalb EMS to the Midway County Fire Station where they were airlifted by helicopter ambulance to Vanderbilt Hospital. Mr. Gibbs was taken by EMS to Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital. The three year old child was not injured.

Saturday wreck victims airlifted from Midway Fire Station from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Members of the DeKalb County Sheriffs Department and DeKalb Volunteer Fire Department were on the scene to assist. Citations are pending.

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Woman and Baby Airlifted After Saturday Crash (View Video Here) - wjle.com

In addition, increase in urbanization and industrialization in Asia-Pacific fuels the demand for portable water, to boost the water treatment process, which is projected to drive the macrofiltration market. However, high cost of auto backwash filters and high maintenance cost are hampering the growth of backwash filter. Furthermore, emerging trends such as increasing water treatment plants in Asia-Pacific, are estimated to provide lucrative opportunities for the growth of the macrofiltration market.

Some of the key players operating in the global macrofiltration market are Amiad Water Systems, Ascension Industries, Inc., Danaher Corporation, Filtration Group, Mann+Hummel, MTB Technologies Sp. Z O.O., Ostwald Filtration Systems GmbH, Parker Hannifin, Pentair PLC, SUEZ water technologies Inc.

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The global Macrofiltration market was valued $6.2 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $9.9 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2020 to 2027. Macrofiltration is the process of filtration of insoluble solid particles larger than 1.0 micron from water. These microns are passed through porous medium. There are different types of filters used for macrofiltration. These include bag filter, belt filter press, drum & disk, filter press, granular media filter, leaf belt, and tubular belt. Factors that are expected to fuel the growth of the global macrofiltration market are demand for macrofiltration across various end-users such as food & beverage, water & wastewater, chemical & pharmaceutical, and mining & metal.

The global macrofiltration market is segmented by product, industry, and region. Based on product, the market is segmented into granular micro filter, filter press filter, leaf tubular and press filter, bag filter, belt filter press, auto backwash filters, and others. By industry, it is classified into water & wastewater, chemical & pharmaceutical, mining & metal, food & beverage, paper & pulp, and others. Based on region, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

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Reason to Buy

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Table of Content:

Market Overview

Competition Analysis by Players

Company (Top Players) Profiles

Macrofiltration Market Size by Type and Application

US Market Status and Outlook

EU Development Market Status and Outlook

Japan Market Development Status and Outlook

China Market Status and Outlook

India Macrofiltration Market Status and Outlook

Southeast Asia Market Status and Outlook

Market Forecast by Region, Type, and Application

Market Dynamics

Market Effect Factor Analysis

Research Finding/ Conclusion

Appendix

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Macrofiltration Market Over Upcoming Period with Focusing on Major Vendors Amiad Water Systems, Ascension Industries, Inc., Danaher Corporation,...

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A new public trail is coming to section of the Milwaukee Riverfront in Glendale that used to include the Estabook Dam.(Photo: Angela Peterson/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

A walking trail along the Milwaukee River is being extended from Milwaukee into Glendale thanks to easements donated by three adjacent commercial property owners.

The easements will allowpublic access along the west bank of the river from east of North Port Washington Road, south of West Hampton Avenue,downstream tonorth of East Capitol Drive, east ofNorth Humboldt Boulevard.

The trail connects there to an easement granted by Milwaukee Area Technical College in 2013, according to a Monday announcement from the River Revitalization Foundation.

The trail will be open for walking, hiking, birding, fishing and paddling.

Some people have been using the pathwithout permission of the property owners, saidKimberly Gleffe, foundation executive director.

The easements now make that use legal, she said.

Also, the foundation is planning trail improvementsthat will be done in about a year.

Thenew section is a critical link to create a 12-mile loop of riverfront trails along the Milwaukee River Greenway, the foundation said.

Along with the improved MATC portion, the trail section between Capitol Drive and Port Washington Road is about 1 mile,Gleffe said.

Thenew sectionwill provide additional access to the river, and a connection to Estabrook Parkway on the east bank via Capitol Drive and North Port Washington Road.

Gleffe said the foundation also hopes to eventually connect the trail upstream to Lincoln Park.

The Glendale Common Council has passed a resolution in support of theproject, and will incorporate this link into the city's Park and Open Space Plan update, the foundation said.

The easements were granted to the foundation by Cardinal Capital Management Inc., which operates Barnabus Business Center, 4650 N. Port Washington Road; Ascension Wisconsin, which has offices at400 W. River Woods Parkway, and Caddis Health Care, which recently opened Heartis Village North Shoreassisted living facility,100 W. River Woods Parkway.

Financial support for the trailhas been provided by the Fund for Lake Michigan, the Maihaugen Foundation, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Richard and Joy Teschner Fund, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It also has receivedin-kind donations from Sigma and volunteer landscape architect Kevin Haley.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.comand followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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A Milwaukee River public trail is being extended up river into Glendale--thanks to commercial property easements - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel