Republic video coverage throughout 2021

Watch azcentral.com video coverage from throughout 2021.

Arizona Republic

After an unforgettable2020 marked by a worldwide pandemic and apresidential election, many people looked for a return to normalin 2021.

But many of the same issues persisted. The results of the presidential election were challenged in Arizona, and COVID-19 cases continued to surge across the state, nation and world.

Here's a look back at Arizona'stop news events in 2021.

Grant Woods, a two-time Republican Arizona attorney general who frequently bucked his political party to endorse Democratic candidates and causes, died of a heart attack in October at 67.

Woods cut his political teeth as chief of staff to fellow Republican and then-U.S. Rep John McCain in the early 1980s. He ranfor office himself in 1990.He campaigned on civil rights issues, openly supporting a state Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and opposing a GOP-backed English-only ballot measure.

Woods was remembered by friends and family during a memorial at the Orpheum Theater.

John Conlan, a religious conservative who spent four years in Congress, died in June at 90.

Conlan was a member of the Arizona Senate for eight years before going to Washington. Despite more than a decade in politics, Conlan may be most remembered for his loss in the 1976 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, a race tainted with religious bigotry and mudslinging between Conlan and fellow U.S. Rep. Sam Steiger.

Woods and Conlan were two of several notable politicians and community leaders who died in 2021. Othersincluded:

Phoenix saw a near-record number of rainy days in 2021 after an unseasonably hot and dry 2020.

Rain was measured at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on 23 days over themonsoon season that runs June 15 through Sept. 30. The most rainy days ever recorded was 24 in 1896.

The rain resulted in recharged reservoirs and brought a much-needed reprieve after a prolific wildfire season but did little to replenish the Colorado River or quell widespread drought conditions.

A massive fire at a west Phoenix recycling plant led to the largest fire response in the citys history.

The fire burned multiple recycling yards at Friedman Waste Control Systems and destroyed nearby businesses near 35th Avenue and Lincoln Street in June. It threatened surrounding homes and the smoke was visible from space.

An investigation by The Arizona Republic revealed the fire wasnt a one-time accidentand that the recycling plant owner and city knew there was a hazard.

There have been at least 20 reports of fires at the facility since 1994.

Video: Fire crews work to extinguish recycling yard fire

"Crews were on scene throughout the night using front end loaders to extinguish active hotspots," the Phoenix Fire Department tweeted

Phoenix Fire Department via Twitter, USA TODAY Handout

Theformer CEO of a Phoenix health care facility where an incapacitated woman was raped and gave birth and the former nurse who raped the woman were sentenced for their involvement in various crimes, bringing some closure to the three-year case.

William Timmons, the former head of Hacienda HealthCare, was sentenced in November to three years of supervised probationafterdefrauding the state of millions of dollars through a complex medical billing scheme.

He was ordered to pay $500,000 in restitution to Arizonas Medicaid program, plus $274,500 in fines and surcharges.

WhileTimmons was in charge, a 29-year-old patient at Haciendas intermediate care facility unexpectedly gave birth in late December 2018 in a case that garnered international attention. The patient rape put a spotlight on Hacienda and Timmons.

The surprise birth triggered reviews by state agencies, highlighted safety concerns for patients who are severely disabled or incapacitated and prompted resignations at the organization. The Arizona Attorney Generals Office launched a criminal investigation into Haciendas finances in early 2019.

Nathan Sutherland, the nurse who raped the woman and was charged with sexual assault and abuse of a vulnerable adult, was sentenced Dec. 2 to 10 years in prison.

Judge Margaret LaBianca said Sutherland was tasked with caring for and protecting the most vulnerable of patients, and his crimes were a serious breach of ethics.

"It is hard to imagine a more vulnerable adult than the victim in this case," LaBianca said.

The Arizona Coyotes proposed to build a new arena and entertainment district on the southern bank of the Salt River in Tempe.

The franchise has long wanted an arena closer to its fan base in the East Valley. After negotiations broke down this summer, Glendale said it wouldnt renew the teams lease at Gila River Arena after the season ends in April.

The Coyotes have been in talks with Tempe officials for at least two years, and the team submitted a proposal to develop 46 acres of city-owned land near Priest Drive and Rio Salado Parkway.

The $1.7 billion development would includea hockey arena, hotels, apartments and shops that the team says would be financed by billionaire owner Alex Meruelo and private investors.

Tempe's elected officials have been mum as a city committee reviews the bid.

If approved, the team could play its first season in Tempe in 2025.

The year saw a tide of municipal action to protect LGBTQ rights as more cities passed nondiscrimination ordinances that extend to the LGBTQ community as state and federal lawmakers fail to pass similar proposals.

The Glendale City Council in May unanimously approved an ordinance that prohibits discrimination in public places, housing and many workplaces and extended the protections to the LGBTQ community, becoming the third metro Phoenix city to tackle the issue in as many months.

Mesa and Scottsdale passed ordinances in March and April, respectively.

The votes come seven years after Arizona legalized same-sex marriages and more than 20 years after the first Arizona city, Tucson, passed a nondiscrimination ordinance in 1999.

City leaders have long pressed state lawmakers to provide consistent rules statewide.

Mesa Mayor John Giles, who leads a city that has been ranked the most conservative big city in the country, said without state action it was time for cities to act, saying ensuring civil rights for all is the right thing to do.

Arizona institution Bashas, which launched in metro Phoenix almost 90 years ago, announced in October that it was selling to California-based Raleys Holding Company.

Edward Basha, president and CEO of the company, said the pandemic showed the family it was time to sell the grocery chain his grandfather started in Chandler in 1932. The grocer had trouble getting products and filling orders during the pandemic and found that larger stores were faring better.

Joining forces with another family-operated chain in a competitive market would ensure the success of the grocer, he said.

Bashas operates 113 stores across Arizona, New Mexico and the Navajo Nation, including its Food City and AJs Fine Food stores.

The Tucson Police Department quickly moved to fire one of its officers who fatally shot a man in a mobility scooter in late November while confronting him for alleged shoplifting.

The decision came after videos of the shooting from a Lowes security camera showed Officer Ryan Remington firing his gun nine times into 61-year-old Richard Lee Richards back and side.

Richards died at the scene.

The officer alleged Richards pulled a knife on him. An attorney representing Remington said he had no non-lethal options.

Richards was one of at least 67 people shot by law enforcement officers in Arizona in 2021. At least 38 people died. At least 12of those people were shot by Phoenix police, and eight died.

At least eight law enforcement officers were killed this year while working in Arizona, including Drug Enforcement Administration Special AgentMichael Garbo, who was shot and killed in Tucson in October when a passenger opened fire on officers who were doing a routine inspection for illegal contraband on an Amtrak train.

Maricopa County sheriff's Deputy Juan Ruizdied after being beaten unconscious by a man he was putting in a holding cell in October.

La Paz County sheriff's Sgt. Michael Rudd was killed when struck by a vehicle after a stop on Interstate 10.

U.S. Border Patrol Agent Daniel Cox died in a head-on crash with another vehicle.

Phoenix police Officer Ginarro New died when his patrol car was struck by a driver who ran a red light.

Chandler police Officer Christopher Farrarwasstruck and killed by a suspect in a stolen vehicleduring a pursuit.

There were two deaths of officers while on off-duty assignments as well. Nogales police Officer Jeremy Brinton was hit by a vehicle on Interstate 19, and Maricopa County sheriff's Lt. Chad Brackman was struck while directing traffic in Scottsdale.

All five members of the Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy were ousted and replaced in September after a Republic investigationrevealed many massage therapists get second chances despite allegations of sexual abuse.

The members of the regulatory board are appointed by the governor and are responsible for licensing the states 10,600 massage therapists and investigating complaints against them.

A Republic analysis found that 100 massage therapists faced complaints before the board for allegedly exposing, fondling, sexually abusing or sexually assaulting clients duringthe past eight years and about half didnt have their licenses revoked. Others had their complaints dismissed or received only warnings.

Women who filed complaints with the board said the boards reluctance to discipline therapists put customers at risk.

Gov. Doug Ducey said the board needed to ensure that massage clients were protected. Three of the new members he appointed had experience in victim advocacy and support, Ducey said.

Wildfires brought devastating consequences statewide in 2021, leaving hundreds of thousands of acres burned, damaged structures and at least two people dead.

The Telegraph Fire, which ignited June 4 near Superior, merged with the Mescal Fire, which began June 1 southeast of Globe, burning swaths of landand becoming the sixth largest wildfire in the state since 2002.

Two firefighters responding to a wildfire northeast of Wikieup, about two hours northwest of Phoenix, died after their plane crashed.

Fires have grown larger and have burned more severely and the fire season is starting earlier as temperatures rise and drought intensifies.

The fires have led to more intense floods during heavy rains and havestuntedvegetation, forcedwildlife out of their habitats and contaminatedthe watershed.

A volatile day for the Telegraph Fire near Globe

Fire public information officers discuss the sudden volatility of the Telegraph Fire outside of Globe on June 14, 2021.

David Wallace, Arizona Republic

A landmark case in a nearly decadelong battle to determine whether inmatesin Arizonas prison system are getting the basic health care they are entitled to under law finally made it to trial.

Jensen v. Shinnbegan Nov. 1 in Phoenix after a federal judge scrapped a 6-year-old settlement that required the Arizona Department of Corrections to create and comply with new health care benchmarks. The judge said the state had failed to meet its responsibility despite fines and repeated judicial warnings.

Prisoners in the class-action lawsuit say the medical services they receive are inadequate and constitute cruel and unusual punishment.

The trial could affect the way Arizona administers health care in state prisons and could end with the judge taking control of the prison health care system.

U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver is expected to rule in early 2022.

A massive fire in March destroyed two barns and killed an estimated 165,000 hens at Hickmans Family Farms.

The fire, at the companys farm in Arlington, about an hour west of Phoenix, destroyed equipment and supplies such as food, conveyor systems, watering systems and lighting. An employee was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

A company spokesperson said it appeared the fire started while an employee was cleaning the chicken houses on a skid-steer when the equipment malfunctioned and sparked the blaze.

The Maricopa County Attorneys Office came under firefor its apparent mishandling of cases involving protesters and as questions were raised about County Attorney Alister Adels management of the third largest prosecutorial agency in the country.

The County Attorneys Officedropped its case against 15 protesters who faced criminal street gang charges for their involvement in an October 2020 demonstration against the unfair treatment of people of color by police. Protesters were arrested after Phoenix police said they marched in the road, moved barricades and resisted arrest.

Charges also were dismissed against protesters arrested at other demonstrations.

An outside review of the charges, ordered by Adel, found the October gang case was deeply flawed," with issuesinvolving misleading testimony to a grand jury, prosecutors with potential conflicts and an unreliable police informant.

The independent report also described a breakdown in communication between the cases lead prosecutor, April Sponsel, and MCAO leadership. Sponselfiled a $10 million claim against MCAO for disparagement and other damages.

Much of this happened as Adel recovered from anOctober 2020 fall that left her hospitalized for a month and as she dealt with other health issues.

In late August, Adel entered a rehabilitation center. She announced she was seeking treatment for anxiety, which she said had led to unhealthy coping behaviors including an eating disorder and alcohol use.

She returned in mid-September.

School board members across Arizona have become a target of parents and outsiders as the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on increased scrutiny of the work boards do. School boards historically were set up to function as nonpartisan entities that deal with the nuts and bolts of teaching and maintaining school facilities, but national partisanship has seeped into the local school environment.

Concerns about pandemic protocols and how race is taught in schools have led to tense board meetings throughout the year that have forced some districts to limit public participation or move meetings online.

This has been most evident in the southwest Valleys Litchfield Elementary School District and in the Scottsdale Unified School District,where dozens of community members have shown up to protest board policies, school board members have been subject of recall efforts and numerous complaints have been filed for alleged open meeting law violations.

Despite President Joe Biden's campaign promises to reform the countrys immigration system and overturn hard-line and nativist policies from the Trump administration, efforts to address issuesfrom "Dreamers'" status in the country to asylum processing have remained stagnant with the change in administration.

Bidens proposal to offer a pathway to citizenship for some of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country has stalled in Congress. He has opted to keep or reestablish some policies and programs, such as Remain in Mexico, whichrequires asylum seekers to return or stay in Mexico while their cases workthrough the court system.

Immigration advocates say Biden set high expectations and has fallen short, leaving many of his pledges unfulfilled.

Arizona's representation in the U.S. House of Representatives is likely to shift to a Republican majority after the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission unanimously approved a transformative, GOP-leaning congressional map on Dec. 22.

The commissioners, who had met for months to create new political districts, alsoapproved a Republican-leaning but balanced map for districts in the Legislature in a contentious3-2 vote.

Arizona's current congressional delegation is made up of five Democrats and four Republicans. The new map, should it withstand legal challenges, favors Republicans in five and possibly six of the state's nine districts.

Republicans hope to flip a congressional seat from blue to red and add to their power in the state Legislature, where the party currently has a slim advantage.

Arizona and all other states redraw their political maps in a once-in-a-decade redistricting processbased on the census.

The nearly 100-year-old Mesa temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which closed in May 2018 for major renovations, reopened this fall.

Members of the public were allowed a rare look inside the temple for only the third time in its history before being rededicated and opening just to church members.Church officials allowed hundreds of thousands of people to tour the temple and hoped it brought a greater understanding of the LDS community.

View post:
The biggest Arizona headlines of 2021, from recycling plant fire to COVID-19 to a partisan election review - The Arizona Republic

Craft time. . .

To be clear, when I say, Manchin-approved, I refer to his insistence that programs not overspend and that be fully-funded gimmick-free, and his declaration just before Christmas that he would not vote on the Build Back Better bill in its current form, or in any version that the Biden administration was willing to agree to. And Ive been critical of the structure of many of the programs in that bill not just the buy-now, pay-later thats a fundamental part of plans which claim to be balanced over a 10 year window but end the benefits themselves only a few years into that time frame, but also the fundamental design of some of those benefits such as child care and parental leave.

So heres a wish list of changes which would admittedly not get Biden the sought-after praise as a second FDR but would, it seems to me, be much more practical and, dare I say it?, bipartisan.

First, adopt Senator Mitt Romneys Child Tax Credit, or a negotiated, modified version thereof.

This proposal, which he called the Family Security Act, dates back to February of this year, would be run through the Social Security Administration as a European-style child allowance system rather than a tax credit. It would provide $350 per month for young children and $250 per month for school-aged children, up to a maximum per family of $1,250 per month. As explained by the Tax Foundation, it would not have any work requirement, but it would replace TANF (traditional welfare) for nonworking parents. It would also replace the per-child portion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, creating a simple credit-per-worker instead, partially fund it by ending the SALT (state and local tax) deduction for income taxes, and make a number of other changes. And while Democrats might find much to object to in the proposal, its a clear path towards designing a benefit which can find Republican buy-in as a pro-family move.

Heck, even Matt Bruenig, at the Peoples Policy Project, gives it the thumbs-up, pointing in particular to the fact that benefits would start four months prior to a childs due date and could serve as a sort of pseudo-parental leave benefit.

Is there hope for this? After Manchin made his announcement, Romney tweeted,

Now that its clear Build Back Better isnt moving forward & with bipartisan opposition to extending the Presidents ill-crafted Child Tax Credit, the Administration has an opportunity to actually work with Republicans & Democrats on lasting, fiscally-responsible family policy.

and in response to a question on the matter, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said,

We're going to work with anybody who's interested in taking steps to lower costs for the American people, whether it's on child care or elder care or healthcare,

which is as noncommittal as it gets but doesnt discard the possibility.

Second, develop a form of parental leave as a social insurance system, funded, Social Security-style, through payroll taxes and focused narrowly on parental leave.

Creating a paid leave program funded by a game of tax the rich is fundamentally a mistake. Yes, it will be necessary to concede that it was a mistake to promise extensive new government benefits without tax increases for incomes less than $400,000. So be it. As Ive insisted previously, paid leave is a social insurance program and that calls for a broad-based payroll tax type of funding. As it turns out, the Social Security Chief Actuary not long ago provided an estimate of the cost of a payroll tax paid leave program, 0.62% of pay (though I was skeptical of the assumptions used) for a 12-week benefit.

Yes, it may well be challenging to convince Americans to accept a tax hike, especially for those who may feel the benefits are unfair because they are past their childbearing years or have no intention to have children. But we are beginning to recognize that an early return to work is detrimental to mothers and childrens well-being. These are benefits for the good of society, not just individuals.

And it would control costs significantly to reduce the scope away from a broad program providing pay replacement for any instance of sickness (which in addition comes with greater risks of gaming the system), to a much narrower set of eligibility circumstances (and, after all, it is easy to prove fairly definitively that a child has been born or adopted).

Third well, this is where I would love to proffer a solution for the free child care! and free preschool! plans in the bill. But Ive only got a half-solution here.

Both of these programs were problematic in ways that extended beyond the gimmick of their early ending points. The child care program was deeply flawed in its design, providing a 7% copay that ended at an income level which would have created a sharp cliff, was designed to boost costs dramatically with a long list of requirements to qualify as high quality child care, and would have pushed families to put their children in full-day institutional child care.

The preschool program would have excluded faith-based programs via nondiscrimination requirements which would prevent favoring of adherents in hiring staff, for example (a requirement which, according to the New York Times, was not an oversight but intentional). In addition, despite the claims that the program would support a mixed delivery system including schools and both institutional and family child care, the split of preschool and child care only makes sense in circumstances in which a family cares for a child at home/in a home environment and wants to elect a preschool environment to provide the school-readiness experience (socialization with other children, experiences following a teachers instructions, etc.). As explained at Education Next, in an interview with expert Sue Renner,

the proposed new investments in universal pre-K are not in step with the realities of the existing mixed-delivery system and its many participants. . . . Bidens plan risks separating universal pre-K from the wider child-care sector, limiting parents choices and their access to subsidized care without fully meeting their needs.

At the same time, the Biden proposal would have required that the free preschools operate for 1,020 hours per year, which, as Reason notes, exceeds the total class time of most K-12 schools: Preschool is meant to be a bridge toward full-time school. Parents who don't want a full-time preschool program are not served well by Biden's plan.

Its all a mess.

To a certain extent, we have existing programs which provide child care and preschool to low-income families. The Child Care and Development Fund provides free or subsidized childcare to 1.3 million low-income families, but funds are limited. In some states, earnings maximums are as little as 127% of the federal poverty level, though other states have higher eligibility cutoffs or have elected to use COVID money for temporary increases. The program also has a significant welfare cliff (see analysis here for Illinois and for Florida), in which participants lose benefits at such a steep rate that they are better off avoiding income increases; a 2010 study found that 1 in 3 recipients rejected pay increases in order to keep eligibility. Head Start likewise is only for children in poverty according to federal definitions.

So should we simply shift to greater eligibility and more gentle phase outs for these programs, and simply do the math with respect to how much is affordable based on the level of tax increases were willing to accept, and count on child allowances to provide some relief for the middle class? Should we even take the existing child allowance proposals and front-load more of the money to a childs younger years? In any case, it should be a given that any such program, however much money it involves, should have neither phase-ins nor phase-outs, but be funded in line with tax revenues.

As to the rest the green spending? Heck, Ill talk about social insurance issues seemingly without stopping, but thats a subject with which I make no pretense to having any expertise.

As always, youre invited to comment at JaneTheActuary.com!

See the original post here:
Two And A Half Suggestions For A Manchin-Approved Build Back Better/Social Insurance Program - Forbes

In less than five days' time Antonio Rdiger will be free to begin negotiating with whichever clubs he fancies. His contract at Chelsea runs out in June, so as soon as the New Year comes in, he will be eligible to sign a new contract with another club ahead of the 2022/23 season. The 28-year-old is one of a handful of high-profile players who will be in a position to move on a free transfer in July and that has aroused the attentions of a number of Europe's major clubs such as Bayern Munich, PSG - and Real Madrid.

Madrid have denied reports that they will be holding talks with the player's agent next month. The rumours appear to have come from Rdiger's representative Sahr Senesie, a manoeuvre designed to get him the best deal possible. Ancelotti is not looking to strengthen the central part of his back four - he is happy with the current pairing, Milito and David Alba, a partnership which some initially had doubts about but which is devloping into a solid alliance. Besides, Madrid have other players who can cover either of the central defence positions when needed - Nacho, Jess Vallejo or even Casemiro.

When the winter transfer window opens on 1 January, Real Madrid's priority will be wrapping up the operation to bring Kylian Mbapp to the Bernabu in the summer. No other areas within the team need urgent attention.

Madrid don't particularly fancy the idea of entering a bidding war with Bayern and PSG for a player they don't need. The problem with Rdiger is that his wage demands are high - and that is what is stopping him from renewing terms with Chelsea. Alaba earns 11 million euros per season. He was brought in as a quid pro quo replacement for Sergio Ramos, with a salary not too far off what the ex-captain was taking home. He and Rdiger are a similar age - the German, slightly younger, will turn 29 in March and while there would be no communication problems between the two (both speak German), by signing him, where would it leave Milito? The Brazilian is having a superb season and Ancelotti sees no reason to start meddling with something that works fine as it is.

PSG, who signed Sergio Ramos on a free last summer, is another option for Rdiger - as is Bayern, who have yet to replace Alaba and have been coping with Niklas Sle and Lucas Hernndez as their first choice centre-back pairing. There is also the possibility that Rdiger could end up signing a new contract with Chelsea - after all, he is said to be happy there and there are no indications that he is desperate to leave. The only snag is that the club has three other defenders whose contracts will also expire in June - Csar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva and Andreas Chistensen. That is a situation which Chelsea have to get sorted. Their last offer presented to Rudiger was believed to be around 8.5 million euros, a 25% increase on what he is currently earning, according to Sport Bild.

Read more:
Rdiger's hopes for Real Madrid move placed on the back burner - AS English

Sound Transit announcement.

Crews are completing the curb and gutter work on the east side of Martin Luther King Jr. Way from S. 9thSt. to 6thAve. and plan to open the street to two-way traffic on Dec. 23. Some work depends on weather, so they may return later to paint the stripes on the street. The 6thAvenue Station platform and canopy are also completed.

Crews continue building the Tacoma General Station and will start the curb and gutter work on the east side of MLK Jr. Way from 6thAvenue to S. 3rdSt. as soon as Tuesday, Dec. 28. Access will be open to the Emergency Department, hospitals and medical centers. To access the Emergency Department, follow MLK Jr. Way north from 6thAvenue or south from Division Ave. To access Kaiser Permanente, follow S. J St. to S. 3rdSt. Please allow a little extra time to reach your appointment thank you. MLK Jr. Way is closed northbound to thru-traffic from 6thAve. to S. 3rdSt. The travelling public should follow the detour on S. J St.

Crews continue installing curb and gutter on the west side of MLK Jr. Way from S. 13thSt. to S. 16thSt. and on the north side of Division Avenue from MLK Jr. Way to Yakima Ave. Two-way traffic on MLK Jr. Way and Division Ave is maintained in these areas. Next week, crews will continue signal work at the MLK Jr. Way and Division Ave intersection.

At the N. 1stSt. and Broadway intersection, crews are installing the beacon for the crosswalk. N. 1stSt./N. E St. will be closed on one direction, while crews work on half of the street at a time. The contractor also will install communications equipment on N. E St. near Stadium High School. On Dec. 28 and 29, crews will install lighting on the east side of Stadium Way just north of Division Ave. During this time, please access driveways by following Stadium Way south from Tacoma Ave. thank you.

The contractor will open Commerce Street in both directions today, and is preparing to pave E. 25thStreet. E. 25thSt. will be closed to westbound traffic from S. J St. to S. G St. The contractor will not be working from Dec 24 27 and from Dec 31 Jan 3. Thank you again for your patience during construction and happy holidays!

Construction and traffic restrictions at Division Avenue, N. 1stSt., Stadium Way, S. 7thStreet, S. 8thStreet, Martin Luther King Jr. Way, and E. 25thStreet.

December 20 January 3

View post:
Martin Luther King Jr. Way from S. 9th St. to 6th Avenue to open on Dec. 23 The Suburban Times - The Suburban Times

Homeowners need to take extra steps to protect their homes during the colder months, as the ice, wind and rain can wreak havoc at winter time.

Leaf Home, a home solutions provider, recently offered the following winter checklist for homeowners to protect their properties against seasonal damage.

It turns out that winter protection all starts with the guttering. As such, Leaf Home advises to keep those gutters clean by removing leaves and other debris that may get trapped inside them, as well as any birds nests! Homeowners should also ensure their guttering is still in good condition, as its common for underlying problems to first appear in the winter time.

If the guttering is left unkempt, it can cause ice dams that may eventually damage it. The problem is that the build up of ice gets increasingly heavier, pulling at gutters until they start to break. Some gutter guards can actually make the ice dams worse, so its important to keep an eye out if the home has any. Leaf Home says ice dams can be prevented by boosting ceiling and roof installation, sealing electric cables and vent pipes and proactively fixing cracks in the chimney flashing.

Its also important to ensure the gutters are the right fit for the house. If its not the right sort, it will be easier for weather to damage other spaces through them. This is particularly a concern in older homes, so its important homeowners assess this before trouble appears.

Besides the guttering, another important task is to conserve energy in the home by ensuring that the outdoor climate stays where its supposed to be outside. The main points of entry for those chilly drafts that can suck all the heat out of a home are the windows and doors. Leaf Home recommends checking for holes in screens, making sure the windows are the correct choice for the regions climate, and adding window film or insulation.

Last but not least, Leaf Home reminds homeowners that one of the main dangers in winter can be black ice on the driveway and on ramps. So its a good idea to shovel off that snow or put salt down to ensure no-one can slip or fall while using them.

More here:
Tips to prevent winter property damage - RealtyBizNews

A building in Wyandanch that serves both veterans and the community at large is about to undergo some major renovations.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 361 building at 30 William St. has been deteriorating for years, said Kenneth Woods, 53, commander of the post. The prefabricated building, originally a library, was constructed in 1972 and was donated to the VFW after the group incorporated in 1983.

Roughly 15 of the 45 members meet at the building monthly to go over topics such as benefits for veterans, as well as plan community fundraising efforts. The post also uses the building for local charity work, such as a recent Thanksgiving turkey dinner giveaway and a Christmas Toys for Tots drive.

But to keep the lights on, aside from member donations, the building must be rented out to the community for parties and events, Woods said.

"Its really the only way we can make money," he said.

That has become increasingly difficult since the pandemic started in 2020, Woods said, with the number of rentals falling from two to three a month to one every two months. Making things more difficult has been the buildings appearance, he added.

"It does not look like any other VFW on Long Island," said Woods, a retired Army first sergeant. "Through the years its just not been appealing. The floors are caving in, the lights are not up to proper standards."

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The VFW filed an application through the Town of Babylon to seek federal Housing and Urban Development funds and the town has hired Austin Interiors Inc. of Smithtown to do the work for $292,000.

The company is tasked with replacing the floor, ceiling and doors, renovating bathrooms and installing updated fixtures, putting in emergency exit lighting and new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fixing the roof and installing new gutters. The work will begin within the next two months and should take about two to three months to complete, said town spokesman Kevin Bonner.

"Many times I would kind of be embarrassed," Woods said of visitors seeing the building. "I can finally feel good about people coming to our post now."

Members will have to fundraise to address problems not covered by the HUD money, such as fixing the parking lot and adding a wheelchair-accessible ramp, Woods said.

Norman Sellers, 53, a Gulf War Navy veteran and former commander of the post, said hes hopeful the renovations will allow members to further meet the needs of those in Wyandanch.

"Were comrades who serve with pride whether in or out of uniform," he said. "We want to do more in this community."

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.

Read the original here:
Wyandanch VFW Hall will soon get $292G in long-awaited, long-overdue repairs - Newsday

A retaining wall is a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of the soil when the desired ground elevation exceeds the angle of repose of the soil and these walls are used to support the soil laterally so that it can maintain different levels on both sides.

Here we will learn about retaining wall, types of retaining walls & their application.

A retaining wall is a structure that holds or retains soil behind it.

There are various materials used to construct retaining walls such as concrete blocks, concrete, treated lumber, rocks or boulders.

The material held or supported by a retaining wall is known as a backfill, its top surface may be horizontal or inclined.

The position of the backfill above the horizontal plane at the wall top is called surcharge and its inclination to the horizontal is called surcharge angle.

Function of retaining wall:

These walls depends only on their self-weight to withstand lateral earth pressure.

Typically, these retaining walls is essential for the massive gravitational load required to counter soil pressure.

Such walls are constructed with various materials such as concrete, stone, and masonry, it is economical for elevations up to 3 m.

Crib, gabion wall and bin retaining walls are additionally a type of gravity retaining walls.

These walls are the type of gravity wall, constructed from a particular persons interlocking packing containers, which might be made from wooden or precast concrete.

Then, filled with crushed stone or other coarse granular material to sort the free-drain structure.

The primary types of walls include strengthened precast and wooden retaining walls.

They are constructed to support the plains, while they are not recommended for supporting slopes or structures.

These walls are multi-orbital, rectangular wire mesh packing containers filled with rocks or different suitable materials.

It is used for the development of erosion management structures & to stabilize the steep slopes.

These walls are made up of stem or base slabs, constructed with reinforced concrete, precast concrete, or prestressed concrete.

These walls are built either on-site or precast offsite, it is economical up to 10 meters in height.

The bottom slab portion under the backfill materials is known as the heel, and the opposite part is called the toe.

It requires a small amount of concrete compared to the gravity wall, however its design and construction are carefully performed.

Similar to the gravity wall, sliding, reversing, and bearing pressures will be considered during its configuration.

These walls are counter fort behind the wall slab and the base slab are reinforced with monolithic.

The counter-fort wall is equal or slightly more significant than half the counter-fort height.

The height of the counter-fort wall is 812 m.

These walls is adopted when the house is constrained or thin retaining walls are required.

An anchored retaining walls are appropriate for loose soil on rocks.

Deep cable rods or wiring routes are provided sideways into the deep earth, then the ends are filled with concrete to give anchors.

Anchors (tiebacks) work towards eliminating pressure and slipping.

They are made by mixing the reinforced concrete piles adjoining one another.

They are forced to a suitable depth to withstand pressure used in temporary and permanent works.

The pile provides extreme rigidity to the parts of the retaining walls, which can place lateral pressure at tremendous digging depth with almost no disturbance to the surrounding structure or properties.

Sheet pile walls are constructed using metal sheets to the required extent in slope or excavation, however, they cant stand up to very excessive pressures.

Maintaining the sheet pile economically to a height of 6 meters.

This wall is most economical hence they are mostly constructed.

It is supported by unique fills (granulated) and held together by reinforcement, which can be steel strips and plastic mesh.

These walls are used in both masses and supports the stability known as hybrid or composite retaining walls.

Protective structure:

Retaining walls are used to counteract the forces of gravity to protect the structure.

In other words, they are used to hold the soil.

Functional production:

Retaining walls serve as a functional product to prevent sinkholes from destroying your landscape structure.

They are used to stabilize the sloping landscapes and provides level surfaces on slopes.

Best run-off solution:

If your property is not prevented from infiltrating, then rainwater runoff can completely damage your land.

This can protect your landscape design, also prevent floods from inflowing the area.

Reduce maintenance:

Retaining walls can protect your landscape design and help you in the long run.

As a protective feature it reduces maintenance and prevents erosion.

Decorative feature:

Retaining walls additionally give your landscape an aesthetically pleasing design.

Vertical cracks:

Some retaining walls develop vertical cracks in poured concrete due to extreme pressure or extensive changes in temperature.

Failing Foundation:

Some retaining walls are not able to sustain high pressure from the soil such as the brick walls, often resulting in brick breakage or foundation failure.

Termites:

Retaining walls can attract termites to your property when the wood is used as a retaining wall.

A retaining wall stabilizes the soil and protects the buildings from overturning and slipping, it also helps to save construction costs.

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Retaining Wall: Types, Purpose, Advantages & Disadvantages

If youre ready to begin a retaining wall project on your property, make sure youre informed of the many material options. Although stone and concrete are common choices, materials such as brick or lumber may often achieve a more rustic look. Theres also the issue of choosing the proper colors to create the perfect aesthetic for your garden. With so many styles & materials to select from, deciding on the ideal ones for your retaining wall project can be complex.

Modern Concrete The smooth form of concrete can complement a modern garden. When it comes to texture, the smooth wall presents an attractive contrast. When combined with the rougher textures of the plants, it draws attention.

Wooden Fence A wooden fence can still produce a nice effect if youre more concerned with budget.

Pale Sandstone This is a terrific choice for anyone who wishes to blend a modern style with a rustic touch. It entails constructing a retaining wall out of sandstone.

Interlocking Blocks If you want the retaining wall to stand out in the landscape, use this inventive idea. Putting several interlocking blocks on the wall creates a one-of-a-kind aesthetic impact that will undoubtedly draw a lot of attention.

Water Feature While retaining walls are typically used to hold back soil; you can use this landscaping element more creatively by combining it with a water feature.

Boulder Wall For a sense of dependable strength, try a retaining wall installation utilizing boulders. This is an excellent choice for anyone who wants stone as the principal material for retaining soil in the garden via a retaining wall.

Mixed Brick Colors If modern concrete walls are too basic for you, perhaps a mixed color approach would be better for your garden.

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51 Really Cool Retaining Wall Ideas - Sebring Design Build ...

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IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

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Keeping Hanging Lake Trail useable has been a difficult task - The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

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United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People's Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People's Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People's Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People's Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People's Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People's Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People's Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, RevolutionaryPeople's Rep'c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People's RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom ofLiberia, Republic ofLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtenstein, Principality ofLithuaniaLuxembourg, Grand Duchy ofMacao, Special Administrative Region of ChinaMacedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascar, Republic ofMalawi, Republic ofMalaysiaMaldives, Republic ofMali, Republic ofMalta, Republic ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritania, Islamic Republic ofMauritiusMayotteMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldova, Republic ofMonaco, Principality ofMongolia, Mongolian People's RepublicMontserratMorocco, Kingdom ofMozambique, People's Republic ofMyanmarNamibiaNauru, Republic ofNepal, Kingdom ofNetherlands AntillesNetherlands, Kingdom of theNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaragua, Republic ofNiger, Republic of theNigeria, Federal Republic ofNiue, Republic ofNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorway, Kingdom ofOman, Sultanate ofPakistan, Islamic Republic ofPalauPalestinian Territory, OccupiedPanama, Republic ofPapua New GuineaParaguay, Republic ofPeru, Republic ofPhilippines, Republic of thePitcairn IslandPoland, Polish People's RepublicPortugal, Portuguese RepublicPuerto RicoQatar, State ofReunionRomania, Socialist Republic ofRussian FederationRwanda, Rwandese RepublicSamoa, Independent State ofSan Marino, Republic ofSao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic ofSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegal, Republic ofSerbia and MontenegroSeychelles, Republic ofSierra Leone, Republic ofSingapore, Republic ofSlovakia (Slovak Republic)SloveniaSolomon IslandsSomalia, Somali RepublicSouth Africa, Republic ofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSpain, Spanish StateSri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic ofSt. HelenaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSudan, Democratic Republic of theSuriname, Republic ofSvalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsSwaziland, Kingdom ofSweden, Kingdom ofSwitzerland, Swiss ConfederationSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwan, Province of ChinaTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailand, Kingdom ofTimor-Leste, Democratic Republic ofTogo, Togolese RepublicTokelau (Tokelau Islands)Tonga, Kingdom ofTrinidad and Tobago, Republic ofTunisia, Republic ofTurkey, Republic ofTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUganda, Republic ofUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain & N. IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

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Last Hatfield homeplace being developed into museum, gift shop - Huntington Herald Dispatch