Working feverishly inside a fenced construction site at Long Beach on Jan. 15, a group of volunteers from St. James Church was determined to fend off the surprise arrival of Saturday morning showers with shovels, pipe wrenches, and paintbrushes.

Due to the pandemic, it had been nearly two years since volunteers from the Redondo Beach parish could join the Catholic Coalition team at the ongoing building site with the Habitat for Humanitys Greater Los Angeles chapter. Theyve been as anxious to finish up the 10 two-story Craftsman-style homes by the spring as the families have been after several years of applying, qualifying, and often having to re-apply because of delays. Just two blocks away, an empty lot awaits another 36 houses to go up.

The pandemic amplified the perils of job loss, mortgage struggles, and chronic homelessness in the region. Those focused on resolving Southern Californias continuing housing crisis cite the availability of affordable homes as a critical component to turn the tide.

For the last eight years, the Catholic Coalition has been hammering that home as well.

St. James Church volunteers Andrea Fowler and Jim Whelehan dig a trench at the Long Beach site. (Barry Smith/Habitat for Humanity Catholic Coalition)

Catholics from parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles have spearheaded local volunteer opportunities with Habitat for Humanity since the nonprofit started in 1976 and the Greater LA Chapter launched in 1990. Volunteers from St. Monica Church in Santa Monica also went to New Orleans in 2007 to help with Hurricane Katrina recovery.

The idea of combining financial, labor, and strategic resources in 2014 led more than two dozen churches, schools, and service organizations teaming up in the Our Lady of the Angels, San Fernando and San Pedro Pastoral Regions.

Retired St. James pastor Father Jim Kavanagh eventually broached the subject to Archbishop Jos H. Gomez, who endorsed the idea, having worked with Habitat for Humanity during his time in San Antonio.

Christine Gerety, the associate director of outreach and pastoral care at St. Monica, and co-chair of the Catholic Coalition, said they could measure success simply by the 36 houses already built, but were in constant discussion in our Zoom meetings we know we can be more successful. The only tragedy is we arent able to do more with the great need.

Habitat for Humanity estimated that some 60% to 70% of the families approved for Habitat homes in Southern California are Catholic. The coalition encourages Catholic parishes in underserved areas to support a parish family applying for a Habitat home, explained co-chair Carol Sanborn.

Think about how some Catholic parishes have schools closing and the community is absorbed by commercial business, said Sanborn. If those parishes were guided to having families own their homes and invest in the community, its win-win for everyone.

Volunteers from American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach and St. Cornelius Church in Long Beach have been back to the site in recent months, while others from the Catholic Coalition are lining up again.

The two sites located in the Washington District neighborhood of Long Beach under construction need $1.5 million more in funding. The Catholic Coalition is in the process of raising more than a third of that.

Holding the banner is partner family Logan Chavez, Valdemar Chavez III, mom Cynthia Evangelista and father Valdemar Chavez Jr.Left to right: David Palos, Matt Olivet, Moises Perez (kneeling), Andrea Fowler, Jim Whelehan, Yolanda Nunez, David McIntyre, Ana Alamaraz-McIntyre, Tom Miller, John Bauer, Louise Ramirez, Deacon Mark Ramirez, Chris Untiet and Belen Giron. (Barry Smith/Habitat for Humanity Catholic Coalition)

The neighborhood serves the Catholic parishes of Holy Innocents Church, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, St. Anthony Church and St. Lucy Church. A Catholic Charities office across the street from the site handles outreach to the homeless, and has set up temporary shelter on the sidewalks around the Habitat site.

Long Beach natives Valdemar Chavez Jr. and Cynthia Evangelista, and their two children, Valdemar III, 12, and Logan, 10, are recipients of the first completed home at this site, expected to be finished in June. They came Saturday morning to express their thanks to the St. James volunteers.

We thank God we are getting to live in this house, and know it is getting built with love, said Evangelista.

For Gerety, the work is rooted in the Christian imperative to love ones neighbor as oneself.

Its critical to who we are. Jesus was a carpenter. What better way to do something in his image?

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Parishes partner with Habitat for Humanity to take on LAs homeless crisis - Angelus News

Construction vs. environment difficult to reconcile

Ms. Ludtkes Your Turn column on Jan. 15 touched on a subject very close to the heart of many communities on the Cape. We are all agreed that there is a great need for affordable housing up and down the Cape. At the same time, we are anxious to preserve the character of our townships, and protect our fragile spit of sand from overbuilding.

How do we reconcile our need for housing with our wish to preserve the environment? Here in Wellfleet, the town owns nine acres of land, six of which are offered to a developer for affordable housing. This is a very worthy undertaking, and on paper it looks like an ideal solution. However, it involves stripping six acres of woodland and replacing it with the development of 46 housing units, asphalt, street lighting and traffic.

Are we overburdening our environment? Are we adding pollutants to the air, water, land? As I see it, it would be healthier to find or build smaller dwellings that will not impact our free spaces, because once they are gone, they are gone forever. I totally agree with Ms. Ludtke that we have an obligation to avoid the destruction of our heritage.

Edina Kopits, Wellfleet

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha of the Catholic Diocese of Fall River may have overstepped his authority in silencing the Rev. Michael Fitzpatrick of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis for his criticism of COVID-19 vaccines, (Anti-vaccine priest in Hyannis is censured by the Catholic bishop of Fall River, Jan. 13).

It is beyond the competence of any Catholic prelate to determine the "efficacy" of a medical treatment. As for its moral legitimacy, although Pope Francis has urged Catholics to accept the vaccine, the same Vatican document that states that vaccine reception is morally licit, insists that vaccination must be voluntary.

This indicates, clearly, that those who have medical or ethical reservations about the vaccine such as Catholics concerned about the use of fetal cell lines in vaccine production or testing must not be coerced.

Nor does the Pope's endorsement of the vaccine nullify traditional Catholic teaching about the exercise of a properly formed conscience.

The Catholic Church expects faithful Catholics to defend the sanctity of innocent human life in an often hostile public square. One would think that the hierarchy would be accommodating to the conscientious concerns of such Catholics.

Sadly, this is not the case. When it comes to relations between the Catholic people and the Catholic bishops, loyalty, it would seem, is a one-way street.

C. J. Doyle, executive director, Catholic Action League of Massachusetts

In Sundays paper, there was a long article explaining all the reasons why businesses cant get workers.Nowhere in the entire article was the fact mentioned that over 800,000 Americans have died from COVID.I wonder why not.Are reporters cautioned to not relate those numbers?

True, a large number of those dead were older, retired folks, but surely several hundred thousand were workers who will never be returning to the job market.And, as long as folks dont take the sensible precautions of getting vaccinated and wearing masks, this number is going to continue to climb.

Robin Hubbard, Orleans

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Letters to the Editor: Housing, environment and the bishop of Fall River - Cape Cod Times

Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston & Daniel Division

11 Woodlawn Ave. No. 4, Toronto

Asking Price: $2,195,000

Size: 2,046 square feet

Monthly maintenance Fee: $1,821.98

Property Taxes: $6,989.99 (2021)

Listing agent: Carole Lome, Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston & Daniel Division

About seven years ago a real estate developer knocked on Lucy Fromowitzs door on Keewatin Avenue to see if she and her husband would be willing to sell their home of more than 25 years. No, we plan to die here, she said her husband replied. Then they put a number down and he said, I could die elsewhere.

Such is the way in growing cities, and the couple was launched into a house-hunt. It had been decades since they had last bought a home in Toronto. They were attracted to Summerhill, the high-end retail area known affectionately as the Five Thieves, and all the charms of life south of St. Clair. The houses we would look at, we found they were exceptionally narrow; these 14- or 15-foot lots that often had no parking. And it was a bit overwhelming having come from a larger home, she said.

After yet another disappointing showing, she spotted an Open House sign and pulled over to look at the converted church at 11 Woodlawn Ave. She wasnt looking for a condominium, but right away there were things that made this one stand out.

It presented more like the kind of home we were comfortable with it had a front-door entrance from the street, so we werent having to deal with elevators, and unlike her old home there was indoor parking so no more shovelling snow. Inside, it was full of light, but also quiet and generously proportioned compared to the row houses theyd been looking at. There were only six units in the building, and they didnt come on the market that often.

The building had been converted to residential use in 1990, and after 30 years, there were some mechanical upgrades that needed doing. When Ms. Fromowitz moved in she tore out and upgraded the builder-original bathroom in the primary ensuite. Then, in recent years pretty much a full renovation kicked off, starting in the kitchen, the other bathrooms and included replacing some of the windows.

The kitchen is anchored by an island with bar seating and sink.Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston & Daniel Division

The unit is around the corner of the building. A pathway runs along the lane, separated by a fence; No. 4 is the last door on the right.

The entrance opens into a large space thats currently set up as a formal dining room, but has enough connection to the rest of the fairly open main level it could be configured as a living room or even an office. Light-blond wide-plank hardwood covers the floor throughout the two-level apartment but there are no windows in this front area, divided as it is from the kitchen and living room by a large structural pillar and an HVAC bulkhead.

On the left is a two-piece powder room (with a very large window facing the laneway) and between the bathroom and the stairs leading upstairs is a utility closet with an electrical panel with a door to the furnace (also accessible from the living room).

Straight ahead are some large windows looking onto the rear deck, and as you step into this space the living room is on the left and the kitchen is on the right. One thing youll notice with the windows in the original structure is how deep the wells are, thanks to that sturdy church construction.

Large windows bring natural light to the large open-concept kitchen and living room area.Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston & Daniel Division

The kitchen is anchored by an island with bar seating and sink (countertop slab of Calcutta granite flows over the side in the style thats become quite popular on renovation shows). Walking past a pantry wall with wall-mounted ovens takes you to the induction range on top of a deep counter with a geometric tile backsplash with pot-filler faucet. The fridge is in the back corner next to the frosted glass door to the solarium (which also houses the laundry) thats basically a greenhouse with glass walls and ceiling.

We have a small table and chairs and we have our coffee there every morning the sun just pours in, Ms. Fromowitz said. The deck is wrapped around this sun room, just below it is the entrance to the parking garage at the rear of the building.

Back inside, the living room has a gas fireplace on the exterior wall and the room soars upward to the second level and a ceiling with five narrow skylights cut into it pours light into the space. The stairs to the second level are also open to this room. The stairs, and the second level, is another feature that convinced Ms. Fromowitz she could downsize to a condo. Ive been married for 36 years, and a set of stairs can make for a good marriage, she says, arguing the flexibility to put a little distance between your partner can be helpful whether youre entertaining colleagues, watching different movies or just need some quiet time with a book.

Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston & Daniel Division

Top: The primary bedroom is almost 20 by 12 feet, with a view.Bottom: The primary bathroom boasts a soaker tub and large shower.Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston & Daniel Division

From the second level landing the two bedrooms branch off left and right. On the right is the guest bedroom which is about 14 by 10 feet with a double closet and a window that looks into the laneway. The three-piece ensuite (with large glass-walled shower) also has a surprisingly large window in need of a little privacy screening.

The primary bedroom is almost 20 by 12 feet, with a bank of windows with the same view as the deck. A walk-in closet at the back is just past the updated ensuite with floor-to ceiling marble tile, stand-alone tub and huge walk-in shower. Theres room for a double vanity, but the couple opted for an elegant single with chrome fittings (theres towel and toiletries storage in a built-in cabinet behind the door).

A terrace extends living space outdoors.Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston & Daniel Division

The couple wanted this neighbourhood when they moved, and now theyre so woven into it its hard to imagine leaving the area and their neighbours behind.

That funny laneway entrance into our units means you meet each other on that, and you stop and chat and its a really strong community. We even do some of the [common area] gardening together, Ms. Fromowitz said.

You walk around the corner youre on Yonge Street within one block, Ive got my physiotherapist, hair salon, my optometrist. From Woodlawn, youre a couple blocks from that huge park system [the Yellow Creek ravine and Park Drive Reservation Lands that connects to the Don Valleys Beltline trail], and you can walk all the way to Brickworks. Its a neighbourhood you dont need a car in.

Five narrow skylights cut into the ceiling and pours light into the space.Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Johnston & Daniel Division

The push to leave it behind is another offer she cant refuse: retirement. Ms. Fromowitzs work as vice-provost, students at York University has meant shes rarely had more than two weeks at a time to travel, and the couple has hopes to take off and explore with an even lighter footprint at home.

I went through cancer a couple years ago, and it makes you rethink the type of life you want, she said. I have worked non-stop for 42 years and I have this notion of living that care-free life and just enjoy things Worst case scenario, I find out care-free is an illusion.

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Converted Summerhill church ticked all the right boxes - The Globe and Mail

Maria Moreno, a nurse in the Yucatan, always planned to move to her familys home in Citilcum once she retired. But a new train line meant to bring prosperity to Mexicos long underdeveloped and impoverished south may be pushing her plans off track. Last spring, the national tourism agency told her that her gleaming-white home surrounded by coconut trees would need to be demolished.

The Mayan Train is a pet project of President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador, who won on a populist ticket to create jobs and improve the lives of Mexicos rural poor and Indigenous populations. But how the project has been carried out with complaints of limited community consultations, incomplete environmental studies, and threats to displace many of the presidents most vulnerable supporters has soured some against him, including Ms. Moreno, who voted for Mr. Lpez Obrador back in 2018.

Mexicos president won on a ticket to help the countrys most vulnerable. But, with the end of his term approaching, his rush to complete big works could create a more complicated legacy.

The Mayan Train is meant to extend around the Yucatan Peninsula in a roughly 950-mile loop that links tourism centers like the colonial city of Mrida and the hipster paradise of Tulum. The government estimates it will increase tourism revenue by 20% and create more than 1 million jobs.

The president doesnt seem swayed by the criticism and pushback on the project, convinced any resistance to the train wont translate to a dip in support, says Carlos Bravo Regidor, a political analyst. Indigenous resistance to the project was never an issue [for this administration], he says.

Citilcum, Mexico

Maria Moreno promised her mother she would always take care of their family home. After her parents died, Ms. Moreno and her husband painted the houses walls gleaming white and planted a shady grove of coconut trees in the yard.

But the care that went into the home didnt seem to matter to Mexicos national tourism agency, Fonatur, when a representative told her last spring that it would need to be demolished. The government is making way for a massive infrastructure project called the Mayan Train, which it wants to build along the power lines that rise beside Ms. Morenos home in this steamy village about 170 miles west of Cancn.

The Mayan Train is a pet project of President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador, who won the presidency on a populist ticket to create jobs and improve the lives of Mexicos rural poor and Indigenous populations. But how the project has been carried out so far with complaints of limited community consultations, incomplete environmental studies, and threats to displace many of the presidents most vulnerable supporters has soured some voters against the president, including Ms. Moreno, who voted for him back in 2018.

Mexicos president won on a ticket to help the countrys most vulnerable. But, with the end of his term approaching, his rush to complete big works could create a more complicated legacy.

He has really deceived us, says Ms. Moreno, who works as a nurse. We were excited about change, but now things are going from bad to worse. Ms. Moreno currently lives in nearby Campeche, but always planned to move back to her familys home in retirement.

The Mayan Train is meant to extend around the Yucatan Peninsula in a roughly 950-mile loop that links tourism centers like the colonial city of Mrida and the hipster paradise of Tulum. Mr. Lpez Obrador promotes the train as a way to reduce poverty in the Yucatan: The government estimates it will increase tourism revenue by 20% and create more than 1 million jobs.

Locals gather in the shade of the municipal palace in Kimbil, Mexico, June 28, 2021, to discuss how their community can organize to have a say in the development of the Mayan Train. The major infrastructure project that has become a touchstone of President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador, who ran on a ticket of lifting up poor people.

Most of the train will run on existing tracks that need modernizing. The government plans to construct the rest on public and private land, which means eviction for some in Mexicos Yucatan. The government, which broke ground on the project in 2020, would not provide specific numbers on how many households it will relocate, saying the estimate of homes that could be affected is constantly changing. But Kalycho Escoffi, a lawyer who assists families facing displacement, estimates more than 2,000 homes will be demolished to clear space for the train.

Thats hit at the hope some in Mexico felt in voting for Mr. Lpez Obrador, who has built his personal brand on fighting for the little man and rejecting corruption. But Mr. Lpez Obrador is convinced any resistance to the train wont translate into a significant dip in support at the polls, says Carlos Bravo Regidor, a political analyst whose podcast Un Poco de Contexto featured an episode about the Mayan Train.

Construction started without securing the buy-in of Indigenous communities, says Mr. Bravo. Indigenous resistance to the project was never an issue [for this administration].

The Mayan Train has become so contentious its divided some friends and family over how to address Mexicos stark inequality.

The largely rural south has historically experienced higher rates of poverty and unemployment than the more industrialized north.And some take issue with the projects very name, calling it an act of cultural appropriation, commercializing Mayan culture without including Indigenous communities in the plans.

Francisco Colle, a member of the Mayan community in the town of Hctun, likens the presidents ambitious focus on infrastructure to the United States New Deal. He foresees construction jobs that will allow disadvantaged communities to put food on the table.

Now a lot of rich people [in Mexico] are mad because theyre no longer getting a piece of the cake, says Mr. Colle.

But others say its just another project dreamed up by the powerful, who will reap all the benefits. The train has backing from Mexican scion Carlos Slim, one of the richest people in the world.

Were living in the modern colonial era, says Juan, who is Mayan and declined to give his last name because he fears retaliation for his opposition to the train. He calls it a continuation of the Spanish conquest, in which outsiders plunder Indigenous lands. None of the profits from the Mayan Train will stay in our communities.

The government is obligated to consult Indigenous communities prior to building new projects on their land, according to Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization, which Mexico has ratified. Fonatur has repeatedly come under fire for not holding these consultations.

Mexico plans to build part of the Mayan Train along an access road below tall power lines that run through the small village of Citilcum, seen here June 28, 2021. The more than 950-mile project, championed by President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador, will link tourism hot spots like Cancn and Tulum.

Javier Velzquez Moctezuma, Fonaturs scientific coordinator for the Mayan Train, says the government complied with their obligations, organizing meetings in 15 regions along the trains route with interpreters who translated into Indigenous languages.

Many people [told us] they wanted the train, they wanted development, they wanted to have opportunities, Mr. Velzquez says, acknowledging the government hasnt held consultations in every town where the train will operate.

With the end of Mr. Lpez Obradors term looming in 2024, Mr. Velzquez says Fonatur must work to finish the train quickly. The train isexpected to cost nearly $10 billion. He maintains any disadvantages of speeding the projects construction are overshadowed by benefits.

But the collapse of Line 12 of Mexico Citys metro last spring casts doubt on a rushed project.Mariano Snchez-Talanquer, a political science professor at El Colegio de Mxico, says authorities rushed to complete that metro line and the project was carried out by a company owned by Mr. Slim that is also involved in constructing a section of the Mayan Train.

You cant help but think the same type of problems with the metro could be replicated, Dr. Snchez-Talanquer says.

Recently Mexicos government took the bold step of passing a measure that would expedite infrastructure projects in the name of public interest and national security. Critics say the move undermines regulatory measures and makes public spending less transparent, while allowing AMLO, as the president is often referred, to steamroll into existence big projects like the Mayan Train or a new Mexico City airport. He hasmore than 60%approval.

Despite some local disapproval of the train, I think the president is calculating that his popularity gives him no reason to change course, says Dr. Snchez-Talanquer.

On a Sunday morning last summer, nearly two-dozen residents from the town of Kimbil gathered in the shade of the municipal palace. They brainstormed ways to organize their community in order to gain greater say in the trains construction. Locals sat in a circle across from an aging colonial church and shops selling the regions colorful embroidery. Organizers say one strategy theyre using to appeal to AMLO supporters is to try and underscore that their discontent isnt blanket opposition.

I voted for Lpez Obrador, and Ill probably vote for [his party] Morena again, but that doesnt mean that I agree with how theyre implementing the Mayan Train, a software engineer named Juan Mex told the small crowd.

Chief among Mr. Mexs concerns is the fact that Fonatur has not held a local consultation with his community in Kimbil. The government plans to build part of the train in the local ejido collective farmland.

Representatives from Fonatur did come to Kimbil, but Mr. Mex says the government only met with select members of the ejido in a series of closed-door sessions. Everyone else was excluded, even though the entire community would be potentially affected.

Mr. Mex and others decided to fight for their right to attend, spending the summer pressuring authorities to give them a seat at the table. Despite their efforts, they remained sidelined: The government paid the ejido members 5,000 pesos each about $250 for the right to construct the train, locals say.

Theyll spend [that] in one month, says Jorge Fernndez Mendiburu, a lawyer with the human rights group Indignacin, which has won several injunctions to stop construction on parts of the train. Its an insult for those who live in poverty.

Still, the rollout has done little to dissuade Mr. Lpez Obradors core supporters.

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Mr. Colle, a former immigrant living in California, decided not to try to return to the U.S. after Mr. Lpez Obrador became president. For the first time in his life, he says he feels he has a future here. He wants to open a business near the train and take advantage of the increased foot traffic he expects to come with the train line.

If Mexico keeps going in the same direction, Mr. Colle says, then in 20 years, well probably be like Canada.

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Mexicos Mayan Train: Will it hurt those its meant to help? - The Christian Science Monitor

Longstanding structural issues at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts threaten the health and future of the building and need to be addressed, but it wont be able to do everything it wants after the Historic Landmarks Commission rejected the proposed color choice for the building, calling it too dramatic a chance for the iconic downtown building.

Commissioners voted 6-1 at its Jan. 13 meeting to support the Department of Planning and Community Developments recommendation to grant a certificate of appropriateness to allow proposed work to replace windows, the supports above them and moldings around the top of the building, but reject the choice of paint. Chairman Oliver Hobbs voted no.

I have family, I graduated there, my mother did she was back in the early (19)30s, said Commissioner Susan Coley. I think anybody from Suffolk itself is very sentimental to that, and youre taking away part of what is your memory. Theres got to be a better way of repairing, making better repairs.

Lorelei Costa Morrow, executive director and CEO of the arts center, spoke during a public hearing of the Historic Landmarks Commission Jan. 13 to get their support for the needed work, which includes addressing leaks and water damage that make part of the 78,600-square-foot structure uninhabitable.

Windows are also falling out in parts of the building and are taped off to keep people from getting hurt.

Costa Morrow said the center started the work about two years ago on fixing up the longstanding issues with the building, which formerly served as the old Suffolk High School. However, COVID-19 delayed those efforts.

The issues that you have before you are ones that existentially threaten our building, Costa Morrow said. Theyre existential threats to our building and our mission. These repairs that you have in front of you are a long time coming.

Specifically, the arts center is looking to replace all four-over-four double-hung windows on the original section of the building that are beyond repair with four-over-four double-hung aluminum-clad wood windows. It also wants to replace all one-over-one double-hung windows on the rear addition of the building that are beyond repair with one-over-one double-hung aluminum-clad wood windows.

All existing steel lintels that are beyond repair would be replaced with new galvanized steel lintels and new flashing. All damaged brick around the opening of the windows would be repaired and replaced with similar brick and mortar in color.

Also, all wood and metal cornice and dentil sections would be replaced with an exterior insulation and finish system to match the existing material in color and profile and to match the existing sections of cornice and dentil exterior insulation and finish system sections.

It would also paint all brick, columns, cornice, dentil, trim, accent panels and upper parapet with a white opaque protective coating, known as Tnemec paint. The granite tread and risers would not be coated.

Though the staff report supported the work the arts center has proposed for the windows, as well as the wood and metal cornice and dentil sections, it did not support painting over the building, noting that painting unpainted brick is not permitted by Historic District guidelines, and they state that waterproof, water-repellent or non-historic coatings should not be used because they often trap moisture inside the masonry and cause more problems in freeze/thaw cycles. The building is an anchor to the northwest corner of the Historic District and is highly visible from both West Finney Avenue and North Main Street.

Gerrie West, a principal architect with Dills Architects of Virginia Beach, which is heading up the arts centers restoration project, said the reason for the coating is to cover up bricks that have been removed and replaced due to previous repairs and are visible on the buildings exterior. The coating would cover up much more of it that they expect to happen when the lintels above every window are replaced.

Also, West said if they reuse the existing brick, assuming it could salvage enough, the mortar is the main visual problem. Getting it to match the existing mortar is nearly impossible, she said, due to the age of the existing mortar. The coating being used, West said, is not a sealer, but is breathable and made for use on old bricks. It allows the moisture from inside the building to penetrate the brick and come back out. She said it is not holding moisture inside the building and allowing it to cause more problems.

Mark Brinkley, president of C.W. Brinkley Inc. Construction of Suffolk, the general contractor for the project, said he was brought in due to the leaking issues. At the time, because it wasnt able to do all of the work needed, it put in a silicone sealer on the northeast side of the building the side having the absolute worst problems, he said.

Having worked with the arts center for more than a decade, Brinkley said the sealer would only buy the arts center a few years, calling it a Band-Aid.

The water was coming in so drastically that we had to do something to slow it down, Brinkley said. And over these years, its just continued the sealer has deteriorated and moistures been coming in worse and worse.

He said they would have used a clear coating if one was available that could do the job, but he said the white opaque protective coating would have covered what would have been a brick and mortar that would not have matched.

About five years ago, the arts center asked him what had to be done long-term, and Brinkley pointed to the work he and Dills Architects had done in downtown Norfolk for the 100-year building that housed Crossroads Church, which underwent a similar renovation to what has been proposed for the arts center.

All the windows and doors to the church had been removed and replaced, replaced the lintels and put new flashing in to get the water out. They also used the opaque coating because in many older buildings, Brinkley said, the moisture is designed to go into and through the walls and on the backside, there were furring strips to enable the moisture to come down the backside of the wall and drain out through the ground.

That worked when the building had no air conditioning, but now, when the water comes through, its trapped in the wall because the air conditioning draws air into the building, he said. Previously, windows could be opened to dry the walls out. He said that cant happen, so they must create a barrier to prevent the moisture from getting trapped in the walls. The Tnemec coating doesnt allow moisture into the wall, but it lets moisture out of it.

Since Tnemec coating has been put on the Norfolk church more than six years ago, Brinkley said they have had no issues with that.

In my opinion, if were going to correct the problem here, Brinkley said, and were trying to fix the envelope of this building forever, we need to go with the best product out there, and thats why we chose the Tnemec.

Several commissioners expressed concern about the choice of color for the building.

Commissioner George Bailey Jr. noted the buildings status as an anchor in the community and said despite his concern about the proposed color change, the commission has been presented with enough evidence that the buildings integrity has deteriorated.

My only concern is the overall changing of the color, Bailey said. I think (Brinkley) has already mentioned that theres nothing out there that will preserve the integrity of it, but we see a stark difference in the color from the existing red brick to an all-white exterior.

Said Commissioner Merritt Draper: I think that building is the most outstanding building in the city. I think it should be maintained as much as it can in its original color. The original color is brick, but I see here it does not approach that.

Commissioner Edward King asked why the paint couldnt be a different color that more approximated the current color of the bricks on the building.

The paint can be whatever color we want, Brinkley said. We could go with red. The problem is that youre never going to be able to simulate the mortar joints. because you would have to paint those individually, and I dont think that would be what you would want.

King agreed with Brinkleys point about the mortar joints, but asked whether more than one coat of the clear sealer could be applied.

Brinkley said the clear sealer would last just three to five years before it would have to be reapplied, versus the proposed paint that would last 15 to 20 years, he said.

Youre still going to have the mismatch of the brick and mortar, where every single window, weve got to cut out a section of brick above the windows and doors, and we have to put new flashings in, new lintels and lay that brick back, and youre going to see that difference between the two mortars. Its just no way around that. The Tnemec paint is just so much superior. Its designed for what were using it for. And in my experience, its 10 to 1 as far as quality. If we could go with a clear coat that would last and that it would give the protection, I would say thats what we need to do, but theres just not one out there.

Hobbs said he has seen brick buildings painted red in an effort to look like bricks that have turned out awful.

Still, Commissioner Brian Shaffer said he struggled with the loss of detail on the sides of the building no matter what color is used.Im really torn about altering the look of it that dramatically, Shaffer said.

Costa Morrow said the arts center wants to use the modern technology and materials available to them to ensure its use to support the arts in the Historic District for generations to come. She said the proposal before the commission is vital to continue its work.

We are proud and honored to be part of the district, Costa Morrow said. We want to continue to preserve and use this building and we want to make sure that the perfect is not the enemy of the good in this case.

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Structural issues at arts center an 'existential threat' to building, mission - The Suffolk News-Herald - Suffolk News-Herald

LOGAN SQUARE The restoration of the 109-year-old Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, one of the most recognizable buildings in Logan Square, is drawing to a close after months of construction.

Since June, construction crews have been rebuilding the churchs crumbling brick facade and making other structural and cosmetic upgrades to the tune of $725,000. Its the first major renovation of the church since it was completed in 1912. That work is coming to an end later this month, church treasurer Matt Nygaard said.

When crews remove the scaffolding covering the church, theyll unveil a completely restored church facade with mortar original to the 1912 church and updated copper framing around the steeple, among other upgrades, Nygaard said.

Also this month, but likely before construction is complete, church leaders will hold their annual Taste of Norway celebration 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 20 at the church, 2614 N. Kedzie Ave. Like in previous years, the event will feature traditional Norwegian treats and crafts, such as handmade Nyssa hats, Havreflakk cookies and Scandinavian porridge and a rosemaling demonstration. Proceeds will benefit the church.

This years event will double as a celebration of the renovation project. Because there were no unforeseen costs during construction, church leaders were able to make additional improvements that werent part of the original scope of the project, such as rebuilding the parapet wall that flanks the front of the church, Nygaard said.

The event is also momentous because last years gathering had to be canceled because of the pandemic.

Its just a chance to get together and celebrate that the project went as well as it did, Nygaard said.

Before the renovation project, the church was in a state of disrepair. Most notably, its brick facade was falling apart, endangering church-goers and passersby. But the church also suffered from water damage and other forms of structural decay.

Church leaders were worried about the long-term stability of the church ahead of the big changes and heavy construction coming to the square, including thelong-anticipated traffic circle reworkand the construction of theGraces Furniture boutique hotel.

With heavy, earth-moving machinery expected to operate not far from the churchs doorstep, there is an increased sense of urgency to further stabilize the physical structure of Minnekirken, the church leaders said in anonline fundraiserin 2020.

The renovation project was a lifeline for the church, which is a hub for Chicagos Norwegian community and a neighborhood staple. The church has hosted community meetings for decades. Its location on the square makes it highly visible to neighbors and visitors.

Minnekirken was completed in 1912, making it one of the oldest ethnic churches in Logan Square. Its just one of two churches in the United States where Norwegian is the primary language spoken.

The churchs original stained glass windows wererestored in 2016thanks to donations from neighbors and Logan Square Preservation, a neighborhood group dedicated to the preservation and beautification of Logan Square.

Church leaders received a $250,000 grant last year through the citys Adopt-A-Landmark program to bring the renovation project to life. The rest of the funding came from the churchs coffers and more than $100,000 in donations.

As the extensive rehab project nears completion, church leaders have launched a smaller fundraiser for additional restoration work. The fundraiser, which has a goal of $30,000, will pay for a new railing and side gate and repairing and repainting the churchs original windows.

All of the improvements will ensure the church is around for another 100 years, church leaders said in the fundraiser.

To buy cookies and other treats online in advance of the Taste of Norway, go to the churchs online store.

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Massive Restoration Of Logan Square's 109-Year-Old 'Red Church' Nearly Complete - Block Club Chicago

[Update (Nov. 15, 2021): Atlanta City Council overrode the mayors veto by a vote of 10 to 4. The project can move forward as planned.]

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Last week, Greenstone Properties, the Atlanta-based real-estate company, submitted plans and received the approval to rezone the 13-acre site located at 3626 Peachtree Rd. NE on behalf of Church at Wieuca, formally known as Wieuca Road Baptist Church, reported by What Now Atlanta.

Not satisfied with the outcome, Mayor Bottoms issued a veto on the approval, effectively stopping the developments ability to move forward unless the Atlanta City Council overrides the Mayors action. The veto is in contrast to the unanimous conditional approvals issued by City Planners, the Neighborhood Planning Unit, Zoning Review Board, Zoning Committee, and finally, the Atlanta City Council in the past few months.

Today, Monday, November 15, at 1 pm, the City Council will discuss the veto issued by the Mayor. The Council will need to determine whether to override the veto decision, which allows the developer to move forward with construction plan development or sustain the action of the Mayor, effectively ending the current development proposal.

The Atlanta City Council conditionally approved the rezoning from SPI-12 SA, SPI-12 SA, and R-3 to SPI-12SA 1, SPI-12 SA 2 and SPI-12SA 3, and an amended plan which included 444,000 square feet of office and accessory retail, 300 units of multi-family residential and an expanded parking deck. According to the site plan prepared by Kimley Horn, the development also included 38 townhome units and 13 single-family Cottage Homes.

According to the site plan, the office and multi-family building height will reach 382 feet. In addition, the height of the Church will expand 75 feet above the existing sanctuary floor elevation, and the cottage home and townhome heights will transition from 35 feet to 50 feet.

In a letter dated November 10, 2021, written by Mayor Bottoms to the City Council President and Members of the Atlanta Council, stated, the approval of this legislation would result in a number of the residents of the adjacent and neighboring properties experiencing unique negative impacts, which the City of Atlanta should not ignore.

The letter goes on to state, If approved, this legislation, would in effect, initiate the development of one of the largest remaining undeveloped properties in Buckhead, generally, and in the area of Wieuca Road and Peachtree Road, specifically. Currently, this property consists largely of wooded areas and greenspace. As this property is largely undeveloped, any resulting development thereof would result in an exponential increase in traffic, larger than what could be expected from the redevelopment of an existing development. Accordingly, the development resulting from the approval of this legislation would undoubtedly contribute to a disproportionately negative effect on the traffic patterns experienced by the adjacent neighbors and others residing in closest proximity to the proposed development. Thus, this legislation and the proposed development resulting therefrom, would ultimately have a disproportionately negative effect on the ability of these residents to utilize and enjoy their properties.

The letter to the City Council ends with While I believe we all agree that some future mixed-use development of this important property is appropriate and desirable, the density and intensity of this specific proposal, and the severe negative effects likely to result therefrom, warrant reconsideration of the City of Atlantas approval of the proposed rezoning of the property pursuant to this legislation. Accordingly, I request that you sustain my veto of Ordinance Number 21-O-0486.

What Now Atlanta will update the status of the development after the Atlanta City Council veto discussion.Source: Official

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With a Veto by the Mayor, the Buckhead Church Development Hits a Snag - What Now Atlanta

A new holistic coffee shop is opening in a Rock Island shopping center.

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. Founders of a shopping center in Rock Island and local officials broke ground on a mall's newest addition Monday.

Reverend Darryl and Kim Thompson of the House of Fire Ministries church in Rock Island are opening Wholly Grinds Coffee House in the Embassy Square Shopping Mall on 11th Street.

"Holy grinds has really become our vision of advancing community," said Rev. Kim Thompson. "We really want it to be a place that's wholesome and welcoming to our community."

The reverends opened two other businesses and their church in the same shopping center over the last decade.

Local community leaders say they are excited for the shop to open and the economic developments invested in the community.

"Making a commitment and investment in the city of Rock Island, helping small businesses get started is quite a commitment and we appreciate that," said Rock Island Mayor, Mike Thoms.

"I can't wait for them to be open. I love their menu that they're proposing. It's my kind of place. It's healthy offerings. And I like what Pastor Thompson said about the vibe that she's trying to create," said Rock Island 3rd Ward Alderwoman, Judith Gilbert.

Construction will begin Wednesday, Nov. 17. The coffee shop is expected to open in 2022.

See the article here:
New Coffee House Opening in Rock Island Mall - WQAD.com

(Rick Bowmer | AP photo)In this Oct. 5, 2019, photo, The Salt Lake Temple stands at Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

| Nov. 12, 2021, 1:00 p.m.

In Brazil, the impoverished build their home one cinder block at a time. Saving enough money to build a single additional room often takes years. During the lengthy construction, families live in any room that is completed, meaning it has walls and a tin roof.

In 2004, I was a 20 year-old missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Fernando, Ana and their three daughters were learning about the church in the only room in their home. Fernando and Ana had been saving to buy additional cinder blocks for a wall for a second room, which would eventually be their kitchen.

For the past twenty minutes, I had been sitting on their bed as they sat on the dirt floor. This family listened intently as I taught them one of the last lessons required before they could be baptized.

I looked up and recited what I had been told my entire life If you pay your tithing, God will open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing. The family was soon baptized into the church. Paying tithing meant that completing a second room to their meager home would take additional years as their payment of 10 percent of their earnings was an extreme sacrifice for this impoverished family.

In LDS culture, church members are told that their financial sacrifices to pay tithing are sacred. It is often explained that they are living examples of the biblical widow who gave her last mite to the church. These sacrifices are deemed to be sacred by the church.

Recently, the vast difference in wealth that exists between the wealthiest and the poorest has taken the forefront of discussion on social media.

Memes decrying excessive wealth have become ever-present. One common meme states that Elon Musk could single-handedly solve world hunger, but chooses not to. Indeed, this argument reignited at the recent G-20 Summit when Elon Musk sparred over Twitter with leaders who said that minimal help from billionaires could solve world hunger.

In 2019, it came to light that the church had amassed over $100 billion in stocks. These holdings exclude significant real estate, cattle and farm holdings that the church owns.

This discovery was jarring to many church members who believe that Jesus Christ, himself, gave instructions to a faithful, but wealthy follower to sell all of his belongings and to give the proceeds to the poor. When the follower left saddened, Jesus said it was harder for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it was for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The churchs vast accumulation of wealth goes directly against Jesuss teachings of caring for the poor and raises a question regarding the propriety of requiring its poorest members to choose tithing over necessities and then allegedly using the funds to buy stocks.

Although the memes about Musk ending world hunger are often done in hyperbole, I do believe it would be worthwhile posing the same hypothetical question of the church: could the church single-handedly solve world hunger?

It is estimated that 3.1 million children die of hunger each year. These deaths are preventable.

Few people and organizations have ever been in as strong of a position to solve world hunger as the church is. By some estimates, the church owns one million acres of farmland. This farmland could uniquely be used to feed millions of the worlds starving.

Additionally, the church already has worldwide ties to most communities and methods of distribution of food to the needy. It also has vast worldwide infrastructure and real estate holdings.

Some experts estimate that the cost to solve world hunger is between $7 billion and $265 billion dollars per year. If the lowest estimate is correct, world hunger could be solved entirely by using only the interest on the churchs investments.

Even if the church were to put just one tenth of its interest toward solving world hunger, it could potentially make a significant dent in helping feed the poorest in the world and literally save millions of lives.

Could the church single-handedly solve world hunger? As a well-equipped charitable organization, it should try.

Gregory John Wilder II, Provo, is an attorney with a degree in history from Brigham Young University and a law degree from Texas Wesleyan School of Law.

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Gregory Wilder: Could the LDS Church single-handedly solve world hunger? - Salt Lake Tribune

James Marvin Anderson Jr.

NICOLLET James Marvin Anderson Jr., age 74, of Nicollet died unexpectedly on Friday, November 12, 2021.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nicollet. Pastor Micah Plocher will officiate and burial will follow in Green Lawn cemetery in rural Nicollet. The Nicollet American Legion will provide Military Honors at the cemetery.

Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nicollet and will continue for one hour prior to the time of service at church on Wednesday.

To leave an online condolence for his family or to sign the guestbook, go to mvfh.org.

James, known to many as Jim, Andy, Jimmy, Jim Bob and Papa was born in Bridgewater, SD on September 26, 1947 to James Sr. and Lydia (Golder) Anderson. He graduated from Menno High School in 1965. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served until 1969. During this time, he served on the naval ship USS Liberty. On June 5, 1967 the ship was torpedoed in an unprovoked and deliberate attack. Jim was not injured and became part of the cleanup crew until the ship could make it back to dry dock. After his honorable discharge in October 1969, he worked construction which brought him to Nicollet. Jim was united in marriage to Connie Gleason on May 22, 1971 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nicollet. Over the next years he worked for Judson Market, Nicollet Ag and retired from Crystal Valley Coop where he continued seasonal work until his death.

Jim spent many years playing fast pitch softball where he made many lifelong friends. He was very passionate about his community and served on the Trinity Lutheran School board, was a member of the American Legion, Nicollet Conservation Club and served as Mayor and currently a city council member. Jim served on the Nicollet Fire Department for 30 years and continued to serve as Secretary Treasurer of the Rural Relief Fire Association Joint Powers Board. He also enjoyed spending many summers with friends and family at Ragers Acres Campground in Pequot Lakes.

Jim was loved by everyone that met him. He had a smile for everyone and had the gift of gab. He was selfless and was willing to help out where ever he was needed. He would give the shirt off of his back to anyone who needed it. He never held a grudge and would encourage everyone to do the same. He was always level headed and kind. His loved his family deeply and his grandchildren were everything to him and he was everything to them! We will miss him dearly!

James is survived by his wife of 50 years, Connie (Gleason) of Nicollet; daughter, Melissa (Rick) Theuninck of North Mankato; son, Josh (Quinci) Anderson of North Mankato; grandchildren Jordyn and Lindsey Theuninck and Weston Anderson; brothers-in-law, Fran (Kathy) Gleason of Nicollet, Dave Kleinsasser of Rapid City, SD; many nieces, nephews and many special friends including Craig and Bev Stevensen and their family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, in-laws Willard and Florence Gleason, sister Donna Kleinsasser and an infant daughter.

Blessed be his memory!

Mvfh.org

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James Marvin Anderson Jr. | News, Sports, Jobs - The Journal - NUjournal