New company in Pensacola gives roof to family in need

A Pensacola family will soon have a new roof over their heads thanks to a business moving into the area.

Tadlock Roofing celebrated the grand opening of their Pensacola office on Thursday by presenting a certificate for a new roof to Habitat for Humanity.

The company will replace a roof for a homeowner who cannot afford the cost of a major replacement.

For a company to come in brand new and say 'I love the community' that just warms your heart. You really say you're about the community," said Josh Womack with Habitat for Humanity.

Pensacola Habitat's Neighborhood Revitalization Board will pick a homeowner in need to receive the roof replacement in early September.

Tadlock said they will begin work right away.

Habitat for Humanity has about seven families who need a major roof replacement, but the nonprofit rarely does them because the cost is so high.

The remains of two of the 10 missing sailor have been recovered by the Navy.

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New company in Pensacola gives roof to family in need - WEAR

POST FALLS A lonely, dirt-filled, circular retaining wall in White Pine Park won't be lonely anymore.

It is now the home of the Kootenai County Kindness Wall, courtesy of the new painting-hiding-finding rock group, KC Rocks.

Everybody has a right to have a smile and a reason for joy, said Post Falls mom Winn Koehler, who arranged the new wall last week. Everybody should be able to feel a little bit of kindness every day in their life.

Koehler originally organized a rock-trading kindness wall in Falls Park where little children and disabled individuals could easily access thecache of decorated rocks and participate in the rock painting/trading community, but it was destroyed.

"This is for little kids and the disabled that actually cant go out and rock hunt, Koehler said about a month ago. "Theres a gal who comes to Falls Park who is in a wheelchair, and she cant actively go out and find the rocks, but she could pull right up to my wall and get a rock, trade them out. The little guys have a hard time finding them and they get discouraged when they dont. I figured this is a good thing for them.

For a week she enjoyed bringing her own wee ones to sit on a nearby bench and witness the magic.

"The excitement and squeals I heard from the little kids when they come up and see all these beautiful rocks was amazing," she said back then. "The joy you could hear in their voices was amazing. It was the greatest feeling ever. It made me emotional. Youd see the big smiles on their face. It was well worth it."

Unfortunately, the Falls Park wall was destroyed by unknown persons who threw the painted rocks into the Spokane River. Koehler's friend, Debby Carlson, who also assisted with the White Pine kindness wall, said the destruction of the Falls wall was "heartbreaking."

I was like, Oh my God, after all the work shes done for this, Carlson said, gesturing to the White Pine wall. "We don't want to see this one destroyed."

A friend of Koehler's donated a heavy rock slab to mark the new wall. It tells the three steps necessary to be a part of the KC Rocks community: Take one rock so you have a bit of kindness, leave one to spread the kindness and share one sothe kindness wall can grow.

For info and photos, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/353956238371586/ or visit the KC Kindness Wall KC Rocks Facebook page.

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Wall-to-wall kindness - Coeur d'Alene Press

The Southern Pines Town Council approved $30,000 in new capital improvements at Pool Park during Mondays work session.

Three new retaining walls near the basketball court will replace the existing wood walls and new fencing will be installed at the baseball backstop.

As we continue to improve our parks, there were a few maintenance issues to bring forward. These are projects that our staff cannot do in house because they are more specialized, said Recreation and Parks Director Robert Reeve.

The retaining walls will be constructed with Diamond D block, a rough-hewn, natural looking concrete block that is frequently used in outdoor applications. The three walls will connect directly to the walking trail and will be stepped back slightly more than the existing retaining wall. Each wall will extend between 100 to 135 feet and plans calls for them to be spaced approximately six feet apart.

The top of the walls will be reinforced and will provide block seating, Reeve said. It will give an amphitheater-type look to serve the basketball court and will also provide more seating for the new performance stage.

Reeve said the new walls will create a cleaner, nicer look at the park and are in keeping with the towns multi-phased enhancement program for Pool Park. The project is anticipated to cost approximately $25,900 to install.

By putting in this type of structure, it will be secure and safe and look a lot better. It will also create a new function for the park, he said.

In addition, he recommended new fencing for the baseball backstop area, at an estimated cost of $4,000. The town will also use approximately $860 that was donated to the Pool Park fund by a local Boy Scout as part of his Eagle project.

We all express our appreciation to this young man for his generous donation, said Mayor Pro Tem Jim Simeon.

In other discussion on Monday, the Southern Pines Town Council:

* Considered a request to allow private businesses to use town-owned outdoor facilities. The discussion was raised when a local entrepreneur asked to conduct exercise classes at area parks. The town attempted to hire the woman so the business could operate as a recreation program offering but she opposed the differing fee structure set up for residents and non-residents. The other option is to pay a standard facility fee on a per hour basis.

We want to be fair to everybody and very consistent with how we run our programs based on our ordinance, Reeve said. If we have someone who wants to do a program that we feel could benefit the community, we want to work with them.

The town has traditionally restricted rental use of any facilities indoor spaces and outdoor areas to individuals and nonprofits.

One of the aspects we like about our parks is that people can rent a shelter for a birthday party. You have to balance that will how much you allow private (business) renters to come in and possibly take away those opportunities, Reeve said. We dont want to get in a situation where we have to decide that you can use it but you cant.

* Considered a request to amend the design standards for fuel stations in the towns Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The request is based on a proposed plan to construct a kiosk-style fuel station at the Harris Teeter store location at Mill Creek Village, near the corner of N.C. 22 and Airport Road.

There were some not-quite-anticipated hurdles with design and site work, said Assistant Town Manager Chris Kennedy. As we worked through this application, we ran into some issues with the UDO language.

Specifically, Harris Teeter is interested in building a small fuel station with an attended kiosk; however, current UDO regulations stipulate fuel station pumps should be screened behind the building and the roof line of the canopy must be lower than the building. This language is based on the typical, historical model of a fuel station with an attached convenience store.

In recent years, grocery stores have moved into the fuel business by opening up smaller, kiosk style stations as part of its integrated shopping center services. Examples already in place in the area include the Lowes Food fuel station at Morganton Park South and the Harris Teeter fuel station at Pinecroft Shopping Center in Taylortown.

It is difficult for a small building to screen pumps, as written in the code, versus a more traditional gas station, Kennedy said. We dont want people to think there is a special allowance. We want to make sure we are applying things correctly.There is always a rhyme and reason to why a code gets changes. Over time conditions change and the code has to apply to all kinds of nuance and there are certain situations that dont always fit.

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SP Approves Improvements at Pool Park - Southern Pines Pilot

Stiperstones and Corndon Hill Country is a beautiful upland area that crosses the Welsh English border between the Shropshire Hills and Montgomeryshire.

The Landscape Partnership Scheme aimsto conserve and enhance the local heritage and wildlife, raiseawareness, and provide opportunities to all for involvement, access and learning.

Itbrings together local people, groups, organisations and professionals from England and Wales, and covers an area bounded by the settlements of Churchstoke, Chirbury, Minsterley, Pontesbury, Bridges, Wentnor and Norbury see map below.

The Scheme is divided into four programmes reflecting the special qualities of the area, and is runningfifteen projects, ranging from heritage restoration and habitat management, to training young people in rural skills and offering grants and advice to landowners.

Take a look at oureventspage for local walks, talks and activities, includingourexciting local archaeological project, or help start a project in your local area throughDown to Earth.

Supported by Heritage Lottery and other funders, the Scheme is running for five years,ending April 2018.

Map of Scheme area (click on map to expand)

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Home - Stiperstones & Corndon Hill Country Landscape ...

Tumamoc Hill, a favorite walking spot for Tucsonans, will expand the hours it is open to the public starting Sept. 5.

The new hours will be from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, giving walkers 18 hours each day to enjoy the scenic 1-mile path. The change came as an effort to allow the community to enjoy the hike up the hill while also preserving the sites scientific, natural and cultural integrity.

The west-side site will also include signs displaying the new hours of access and wire cables along the path and top of the hill where Ben Wilder, interim director of Tumamoc Hill, said the most damage to sensitive areas is being done. The cable fencing will be to prevent public access to areas beyond the walking path.

With the increase of numbers in recent years, weve seen a very alarming degradation of the top of the hill, Wilder said.

Tumamoc is an 860-acre ecological reserve and U.S. National Historic Landmark owned and operated by the University of Arizona in partnership with Pima County.

Before, the hill was closed to the public between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. weekdays. This made it difficult for UA police to enforce rules, and for damage to be done at night.

UAPD was ticketing grandparents walking with their grandchildren in the evening around 5 p.m., Wilder said. Now, were kind of flipping that and trying to accommodate walking preferences if you want to go at sunrise, the middle of the day or evening.

Over the years, Tumamoc has seen a dramatic increase in foot traffic.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, no more than about 100 people would regularly walk the path, Wilder said. Today, that number is about 1,500 a day.

Tumamoc has seen over 4,000 years of human use (if you include settlement along the Santa Cruz) and has been a cultural gathering place for the valley of Tucson, Wilder said. This (current) migration of people is just the latest chapter in this story thats been going for thousands of years.

Tumamoc is a beautiful gathering place with a deep cultural history, Wilder said, and he sees it as an opportunity to let people see research in action. But this is an ecological reserve, not a park.

There are no pets, bicycles or smoking allowed on Tumamoc.

New phone app to enhance experience

Walkers on Tumamoc will also have a new way to enjoy their strolls a soon-to-be-released phone app that is similar to the one that supplements the drive up Mount Lemmon.

The app, for both Android and iOS devices, will feature six sections that are meant to narrate the hike up the hill.

The first section is an introduction and overview, followed by information on the desert laboratory site and history of the buildings. The desert lab buildings were built more than 100 years ago, and today, the glass in Wilders office is wavy with age.

Then the app walks listeners through the landscape, ecology and seasons of the desert.

At the top of the hill, the app delves into the archaeology of the site, including the history of the people who made the same climb thousands of years ago, and stories of the Tohono Oodham, descendants of the people who used to live on the hill.

There will also be 16 YouTube videos of additional content for those seeking a more thorough picture of the site.

The tour will be narrated on the app by Alberto Burquez, a researcher at the Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico, in Spanish, and David Yetman, a research social scientist at the University of Arizona Southwest Center, in English.

The bilingual aspect of the community that uses the hill has been overlooked, so in terms of my tenure here, its one of the most important things to support, Wilder said.

The music accompanying the app is by Calexico and Gabriel Naim Amor.

Contact Mikayla Mace at mmace@tucson.com or (520) 573-4158. On Twitter: @mikaylagram

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Tumamoc Hill to be opened during the day for walkers starting Sept. 5 - Arizona Daily Star

Lawrence Township trustees

Monday meeting

KEY ACTION Fielded a complaint about the condition of Clover Hill Cemetery and agreed to send the Police Department to the site to investigate the damage.

DISCUSSION Many of the headstones, some dating back to the 1850s, have been knocked over, broken or moved and stacked in piles. There appears to be a road being built to the south side of the property, said Kathryn Hardgrove Popio of Wadsworth, who visited the cemetery located on Deerfield Avenue as part of her research on cemeteries. Trustees and the road superintendent were stunned to hear of and see pictures of the damage. The Road Department maintains the property, which previously was owned by a church.

OTHER ACTION

UP NEXT Meet in regular session at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at the township administration building.

JOAN PORTER

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Police to investigate Clover Hill Cemetery damage - News - The ... - Canton Repository

The Scottish Government has been pushing to increase our forest coverage for many years, but it has never been easy to plant the trees we need. Planners are under growing pressure to meet targets, but changes to farm subsidies might change that.

If rough grazing and traditional hill farms lose their subsidies with the demise of the Common Agricultural Policy, there is a very real prospect that large areas of hill country could soon be heading for commercial softwood forestry. Scottish foresters have identified 1,600 square miles of unimproved grassland and heather moorland for planting, and change will fall hardest on the poorest ground and the least profitable farm businesses.

Its hard to argue against the foresters promise of sustainable economic growth and employment, but there are trade-offs involved when we convert wide-open landscapes into close-packed forests. The Southern Uplands bear scars from softwood plantations established 40 years ago, and we are still learning hard lessons from the first generation of intensive forestry.

The latest push for more forestry comes at a crucial moment for some of our iconic bird species. The Southern Uplands were once a confirmed stronghold for curlews, and the birds formed an integral part of a region founded upon moorland farming networks and open hill country. Curlew declines are sometimes driven by agricultural intensification, but the most profound collapses have taken place in areas of upland forestry. Open habitats have been fragmented by trees, and along with many upland species like black grouse, hares and lapwings, curlews have totally vanished over the past thirty years.

One factor which has driven curlew declines around forests is an abundance of predators drawn in and sheltered by the trees. RSPB studies demonstrate that curlews can prosper alongside plantations provided that predator control takes place. Management of foxes and crows would mitigate the impact of new plantations and provide a secure habitat for a range of ground nesting birds, but it is ignored by all but a few foresters. The current collapse of the curlew is partly the result of poor communication between farmers, foresters, conservationists and the general public, and with the potential for more forestry, we must not allow history to repeat itself.

This push to plant trees reveals as much about farming as it does about forestry. A 2008 report by the SRUC showed how farming is retreating from the hills, so perhaps its no surprise when we hear calls for this abandoned land to be planted. Ive spent the last few years trying to build a herd of traditional galloway cattle, but opportunities to rent even the poorest land are extremely limited for new entrants like me under the current system of grants and payments. There are all sorts of factors at play, but the agricultural status quo in the uplands can feel like an anachronism, ripe for revision.

At the same time, we shouldnt leap towards planting without considering all the other services which open hill country can deliver. Cattle like mine have been bred over centuries to convert low-value moorland grass into superb quality beef. Cattle complement sheep, and both can work alongside a range of other interests on unplanted hills, from Carbon storage in peatland to biodiversity and renewable energy development. Its a balancing act and an ambitious portfolio, but well integrated, diverse moorland can provide a wealth of social and economic benefits to match even the most profitable plantation.

Over the past fifty years, the Southern Uplands have been blown to and fro by subsidies and incentives. Now the winds of change look set to blow again, and we should think carefully before we seek and reinvent our hills as a timber powerhouse. Theres no doubt that forestry is an important industry, but the success of future plantations must be judged on how well trees are integrated into a varied upland landscape.

Balance and communication will be vital if we are to save the curlew for future generations, but we must also learn to value our open ground as an asset for the future, not a relic of the past.

Patrick Laurie is a farmer and conservation writer from Dalbeattie

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Patrick Laurie: Landscape management needs balance to allow room for all interests - The Scotsman

Sen. Bernie SandersBernard (Bernie) SandersWe might end up with single-payer healthcare, whether we like it or not Sanders: Single-payer isn't a litmus test for Dems OPINION | The real threat to our republic is the Orwellian Antifa MORE (I-Vt.) said that supporting a single-payer healthcare system shouldn't be a litmus test for Democrats, but that he believed more members of the party will grow to back the policy in the future.

Sanders told The Washington Post that hes building support for his Medicare for All bill, which would institute a single-payer health insurance system.

The former presidential candidate's backing for the policy has raised questions about whether he and his supporters might launch primary challenges against Democrats who do not back a single-payer plan.

Is this a litmus test? No, you have to look at where candidates are on many issues, Sanders said.

But youre seeing more and more movement toward Medicare for All. When the people are saying we need healthcare for everyone, as more and more Americans come on board, it will become politically possible.

Sanders did predict that Democrats in the future will likely have to back single-payer healthcare if they want to win elections.

Could people run? Sure, Sanders said of Democrats running for office without backing a single-payer system.

Do I think they can win without supporting single-payer? Im skeptical. Among the people who consider themselves progressive, who vote in the primaries, theres clearly movement toward Medicare for All.

Sanders plans on introducing his bill once the Senate returns from recess. He has been hosting town halls to draw attention to his plans.

The progressive senator said that the landscape had changed for single-payer during the GOPs drawn-out battle to repeal and replace ObamaCare, which failed in the Senate earlier this month.

People are saying the ACA did some good things, and the Republicans wanted to throw 22 million people off of it, Sanders said. Thats an absurd idea to most people.

Universal healthcare plans like single-payer have gained traction among more progressive lawmakers, but have not yet earned the support of more moderate Democrats, who remain hesitant about the idea.

More here:
Sanders: Single-payer isn't a litmus test for Dems - The Hill

ATTLEBORO, Mass. (AP) Built in 1842, East Attleborough Academy on Sanford Street in Attleboro is one of the oldest buildings in the city and probably the oldest the city owns.

For the last 16 years a group of dedicated volunteers, members of the Attleboro Historic Preservation Society, have been slowly and painstakingly restoring it.

Just last week the exterior of the former school building, which at one time also housed some city offices, was painted.

And like most of the work that takes place on the aging structure, which has been moved three times in its 175-year-life, the job was done through the good will and financial help of a local business.

AH Painting out of North Attleboro donated "a sizable" portion of the job, society member Betty Fuller said.

"We were so pleased to get that," she said.

Member Dick Potter said the colors, shades of blue and beige, are close to what the originals are thought to have been.

The building, he said, looks better than it has in decades.

"We've gotten an awful lot of compliments," Potter said.

Potter, a retired engineer, acts as the "clerk of the works" for the improvements that have been underway since the city leased the historic structure to the society 16 years ago for $1 a year.

The new paint is just frosting on the cake.

It took a lot of work and a lot of generous people to get the building to the point at which it could be painted.

Projects that preceded the paint job were a new roof, new wood siding, new porch decking, new granite steps and steel railings, and wheelchair ramp.

The interior got work, too. It has a new heating and fire alarm systems.

With the exterior complete, the focus will now be on the interior.

Members hope that one day in the not too distant future, it will serve as the society's meeting room and display area and look every bit as appealing as the exterior, but some serious structural issues have to be addressed first.

The main one is a sagging first floor.

Gary Demers, a society member, local historian and the owner of Demers Bros. Trucking, is the main driver in installing steel beams and posts that will secure the floor for decades to come.

Like others before him, Demers is donating much of the material and labor.

With estimates for the work at around $60,000, way more than the society can afford, Demers decided his company, which specializes in moving heavy material, could do the job itself.

Concrete footings have already been poured. Installation of the posts and beams comes next.

The new support system was designed professionally by local architect Steve Nelson who donated his expertise.

"When we're done we won't be concerned that the floor will collapse," Demers said. "It may be time consuming, but we're not doing it twice and we're not wasting a dime."

Demers said once the floor is fixed, it will be time to finish the interior which is a matter of installing wiring, plumbing and walls, all of which will go fast if the society can raise the cash.

"Then it's just a matter of money," he said.

Potter said it's a day to which he looks forward.

"I hope I live long enough to see it," he said. "It's a good old building."

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Online: http://bit.ly/2wjqfHC

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For more information: The Sun Chronicle, http://www.thesunchronicle.com

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Old building gets new lease on life - San Francisco Chronicle - San Francisco Chronicle

H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty ImagesAdding a garage to your property is an excellent way to increase its value. A garage can be used to store vehicles or as a workshop, which is appealing to homebuyers. However, adding one requires a considerable investment of time and money.

The cost depends on whether you build a one-car or two-car garage, the materials used and the contractors fees. The first step isto understand the costs and draw up a realistic budget.

Homeowners in the United States spend an average of $24,588 to build a two-car garage. More elaborate structures could soar to $50,000, but in most cases the cost falls between $15,153 and $34,145. Garages offer approximately an 81 percent return on investment.

Before drafting a budget for the project, you need to consider how big you want your garage to be, where you intend to place it in relation to the house, and what kind of functionality you expect. At a minimum, answer the following questions:

From tearing down an existing structure to installing the electrical components in the new structure, building a garage incurs a number of costs that you need to factor into your budget.

Adding on a garage is expensive. A home equity loan can be a great way to pay for it.

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How much does it cost to build a new garage? - Bankrate.com