KARACHI - The Sindh government has decided to build eight more prisons in the province, as the existing prisons are overcrowded with 17,239 inmates against a total capacity of 13,038.

Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah and Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz on Thursday in a joint meeting reviewed the prevailing situation of prisons in Sindh, said a statement. They were informed that prisoners from other districts of province are confined in existing jails as many districts have no jails.

The Sindh Chief Secretary opined that each district should have its own jail. The meeting was informed that new barracks are being built at existing prisons in Malir to increase the capacity. The chief secretary informed that government plans construction of new prisons in Thatta, Nawabshah, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Mithi, Kandhkot, Jamshoro, Malir and District West. He directed Home Secretary to prepare summary for allocating 100 and 200 hundred acres of land for proposed jails in Malir and District West respectively. Reviewing the facilities being provided to inmates in prisons as per recommendations of Federal Ombudsman, the meeting was informed that several projects are underway for welfare of the inmates.

These projects include vocational training to 4623 inmates in computer, beautician, carpenter, motor-winding, electrician, handicrafts, embroidery and other trades besides English language courses. Moreover, 6886 inmates are imparted education from primary to masters.

As many as 200 policemen have also completed training. The provincial government has also paid the amount of Dayat, Daman and Arsh for 33 prisoners.

Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz informed that his office has so far submitted four reports on implementation of jail reforms at Supreme Court while another report would be submitted in first week of January 2020. Syed Tahir Shahbaz also appreciated the provincial government for bringing reforms in jails of the Sindh province.

Inspector General of Sindh Police (IGP) Dr Syed Kaleem Imam on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting on law and order situation and strategy of the Sindh Police here.

All the officials concerned are directed with regard to security arrangements in connection with the programs on the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto and on the eve of New Year celebrations, said a statement on Thursday.

All Additional IGs, DIGs, district SSPs and other officials concerned participated in the meeting via video link while senior police officials posted at the Central Police Office joined the meeting themselves.

Speaking at the meeting, the Sindh police chief said that foolproof security and traffic arrangements should be made on December 27 across Sindh, to facilitate the participants of the program which would be organised to observe the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto. The meeting also directed to make overall strict security arrangements at the beach, public places in different areas on the occasion of new years celebrations.

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Sindh to have eight more prisons to deal with overcrowding - The Nation

CHARLESTON, W.Va. A 21-year-old coal miner has died while helping to make a repair at a Marshall County coal mine.

Raymond L. Starkey, of New Martinsville, a general inside laborer, was fatally injured late Monday afternoon, according to a UMW statement.He was fatally injured while helping to repair a beltline, according to state officials.

The death occurred at theMarshall County Mine owned by Murray Energy, which confirmed the fatal accident today.

We are saddened by the loss, the company stated today.

The United Mine Workers released a statement expressing desire to determine how Starkey was killed and extending sympathy to his family.

Our safety experts are on the scene, working with the UMWA Local Union 1638 Safety Committee, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, the West Virginia Office of Miners Health, Safety and Training, and the company to determine exactly what happened, UMW President Cecil Roberts stated.

We will not rest until we know the circumstances of Brother Starkeys death, so that we can prevent something like this from ever happening again. I ask every mining family, indeed every American family, to lift up the Starkey family in your prayers this holiday season.

Gov. Jim Justice issued a statement of sorrow over Starkeys death.

Cathy and I are deeply saddened to learn that we lost a dedicated, hard-working West Virginia coal miner yesterday evening, Justice stated.

We ask all West Virginians to join us in praying for Raymonds family, his friends, and the entire coal mining community. This is especially devastating news to learn on Christmas Eve, but we know that West Virginians will come together during this tragedy and surround his family with love and support.

Across the country, there were 22 mining-related deaths this year prior to Starkeys, according to the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

There have been three other coal mining deaths in West Virginia this year, according to MSHA.

On March 7, a 38-year-old miner with 10 years of mining experience received fatal injuries while he was working on the pad of a highwall mining machine atWhite Forest ResourcesSouth Fork Coal Co LLC HWM 61 in Greenbrier County.

The miner, Adam P. DeBoard, was crushed between a metal support post on a highwall mining machine anda push beam that was being removed as part of the normal mining cycle. It was a pinch point that DeBoard had not been trained to avoid.

On August 7, a 42-year-old preparation plant electrician with 15 years of mining experience was electrocuted when he contacted an energized connection of a 4,160 VAC electrical circuit atBlackhawk MiningsSouth Hollow Prep Plant and Loadout n Kanawha County.

The victim,Michael S. Davis, was in the plants Motor Control Center adjusting the linkage between the disconnect lever and the internal components of the 4,160 VAC panel supplying power to the plant feed belt motors.

On Sept. 17, an electrician was electrocuted when he contacted an energized conductor atBlackhawk MiningsAmerican Eagle Mine in Kanawha County.

The victim,Steven Vernon Keeney, 40, contacted a 995 VAC connector while attempting to troubleshoot the scrubber motor circuit on a continuous mining machine.

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21-year-old West Virginia coal miner is fatally injured on job site - WV MetroNews - West Virginia MetroNews

Clare Kozlosky, 83, will get the surprise of her life when she reads about how her two grandchildren, David Teska, 18 and Molly Teska, 16 will be marching in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day.

Kozlosky has been an active member of the Abington community all of her life. Born in Dalton, Kozlosky moved to Glenburn Terrace after she married. Its where she still lives. She was involved with Our Lady of Snows Church, on the board of the Senior Center, Clarks Summit, and worked for years at the Grove Street Elementary School.

According to Kozloskys daughter, Susan Teska, her mother and father have always been proud of their grandchildrens accomplishments.

She has been reading The Abington Journal for 50-plus years, and I want this article to be a surprise, Teska said.

Teska explained how her two children are members of The Baldwinsville Marching Band in Baldwinsville, New York, near Syracuse. The band was selected to be in this parade from around the world.

This is huge, said Teska. Its a great accomplishment for the band and the kids. Theres a band from Finland, Japan, Mexico, and only three or four from the United States. There is a total of 14 bands chosen.

The 150-member band is mostly made up of tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade students of Baker High School in the Baldwinsville Central School District. Ten seniors that graduated last year (including Teskas son) will also be traveling with the band.

Its quite a process to apply and get invited, Teska explained. Theyve actually been working at it for three or four years. Theyve had to send videos of the kids and make sure they were involved in the community. And theres a big long essay that the band director fills out with input from the kids.

Teskas son, David, is named after his grandfather who passed away several years ago because as Teska says, He had three girls and always wanted a boy. I was supposed to be David. So, we named our son after Poppy.

He is also a freshman at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, studying engineering. He was also in The Baldwinsville Marching Band for six years in high school, and he is one of the few band members who were also in the Macys Day Parade in New York City five years ago. He plays saxophone.

Molly is a junior with high honors and has actually been an orchestra girl for the past nine years playing violin. Her brother talked her into joining the band two years ago, and now she does both. Molly plays percussion in the band.

Me and my husband, Mark, are so very proud of them, and we know that nana will be, too, Teska said.

The parade airs January 1 at 11 a.m. eastern standard time. The Baldwinsville Marching Band is number 33 in the line-up.

Clare Kozlosky, 83, center, is seen with her grandchildren, Molly Teska, left, and David Teska, who will be marching in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day.

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Grandkids in Rose Bowl Parade - The Abington Journal

You've seen movies receive visual touch-ups in special edition re-releases, but Universal is trying something new: it's updating a movie while it's still in the middle of its initial theatrical run. The media giant has informed theaters that it's giving them a new version of Cats that delivers "some improved visual effects," according to a memo Hollywood Reporter saw. Insiders talking to the publication said that director Tom Hooper wanted to alter some of the effects after rushing to get the movie ready in time for its December 16th premiere screening.

Reportedly, the updated movie is available for theaters to download today (December 22nd) from a satellite server, while those theaters that can't download it will get a hard drive by December 24th. Universal declined to comment.

The tweaks aren't likely to change the general outlook on the movie, which has been... less than favorable. Many viewers are still likely to experience the uncanny valley as they watch anthropomorphized felines dance on screen. However, the edits do ensure that what you see on screen is (probably) Hooper's definitive take on the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical without having to wait months for downloads, streams or Blu-ray discs.

The question is whether or not you'll see this happen going forward. Like game developers (who all too often release day one patches), movie studios are under pressure to release major titles before the holidays and other key moments. It may be tempting to rush out a holiday movie or summer blockbuster knowing that it can be fixed later. However, many people will only see a movie in theaters once -- a flawed special effect could sour crowds on a given title and reduce the chances they'll watch at home.

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'Cats' is getting new special effects while it's still in theaters - Yahoo News Australia

Industry experts estimate the United Statesneeds 500,000 electricians to fulfill the growing construction demands. To alleviate the skills gap, EmersonsGreenlee business is working with electrical contractor FSG to integrate GreenApple Labs curriculum into its free training program. FSG recently opened its Dallas, San Antonio and Austin locations, where more than 150 students attended the event to advance their trade career.

GreenApple Labs is a natural fit with our program, says Cory Bruner, director of risk management for FSG. The partnership brings a professional classroom setting into an FSG training site, giving the apprentice the ability to learn how to use a tool in the classroom and then apply the technique to their on-the-job learning opportunity.

We are proud to partner with FSG and others to inspire and train people who want to pursue a career in the trades, said Paul McAndrew, vice president and general manager of Greenlee, Emerson. GreenApple Labs is about providing training to students in the classroom ensuring they are ready to work when they arrive on the job.

GreenApple LabsGreenApple Labs was created and introduced to all students to develop key trade profession competencies with the equipment they will use as employees on the job site. Greenlee developed a series of standardized competency-based, hands-on modules that provide key skill sets required by employers as they enter the workforce. In partnership with the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), students that successfully complete courses in the five core electrical trade categories: bending, cutting and termination, fishing and pulling, test and measurement, and wire pathways, are awarded a certificate signifying their knowledge and hands-on competency. Completed certificates meet Industry-Based Credentials (IBC) requirements, which are recognized by the local, state and several national certifying entities (BICSI, ETA-I). The hands-on program includes a series of training modules that not only educates students on new technology that an electrician may need to know but reinforces fundamental skillsets while in the controlled environment of a classroom.

People interested in learning more about GreenApple Labs need to connect with Steve Lehr, director, vocational education business development at [emailprotected]; learn more about GreenApple Labs at greenlee.com/green-apple-labs.

FSG TrainingCurrently, 200 students are enrolled in FSGs program. Instructor-led courses usetraining from GreenApple Labs, the National Center for Construction Education and Research, and on-the-job training. Apprentice programs consist of four levels of electrical training through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and help fulfill the necessary hours of on-the-job experience. Apprentice opportunities are offered at nine FSG locationsincluding Austin, Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio, Chicago, Indianapolis, Southern California and New York. Individuals interested in learning more about the FSG apprentice training program should visit www1.fsgi.com/careers/training.

Emersons Professional Tools businesses include Greenlee as well as the RIDGIDand Klaukebrands and provides the industrys broadest portfolio of advanced, reliable tools and technologies for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing trades globally. Visit emerson.com/professionaltools for more information.

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Hands-On Training Helps Solve the Labor Shortage - Transmission & Distribution World

Calling all English majors and lovers of literature! Finally, there is a play that covers all 37 of Shakespeare plays in just 97 minutes! Is it possible? Come find out as just five madcap actors in tights weave their raucous way through all of Shakespeare's comedies, histories, and tragedies--not to mention 152 Sonnets--in one wild ride that will leave you breathless and helpless with laughter.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) opens at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) Department of Theatre on Tuesday, December 3rd at 8:00PM. The production runs from Dec. 3 through Dec. 7, every night at 8:00PM with a 2:00PM matinee on Saturday, Dec. 7. Theatre major Kori Ligon makes her collegiate on-stage debut as one of the five players; she portrays iconic characters such as Romeo, Sampson, Laertes, and more! Sophomore Jack Storm plays all of the female roles throughout Shakespeare's body of work. Storm goes out one door, his bodice barely laced up, and appears through another, his long feminine wig clinging to life on his head. The production also boasts newcomer, freshman Liam Welsh, who acts as the "eminent Shakespearean scholar" until we realize. . . the book he holds of Shakespeare's complete works is the closest thing he has to knowledge on the subject. The production is an irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard's plays that is full of energy and ridiculous theatrical "solutions," as the characters run across the stage and keep you guessing how they will pull off each new play.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) is a production built from the relationship between SCSU Theatre and company-in-residence Elm Shakespeare Company in New Haven, CT. Elm's Producing Artistic Director, Rebecca Goodheart, directs her third production at SCSU. She has directed over 30 professional and 50 educational productions in her career including: Comedy of Errors and Love's Labour's Lost (Elm Shakespeare Company); Much Ado About Nothing and The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus (SCSU Theatre). A long-time company member at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA, Rebecca has also worked with numerous Shakespeare theaters around the world, and is a proud lifetime member of Shakespeare Theater Association, as well as an associate member of both the Society for Directors & Choreographers (SDC) and the Voice and Speech Teachers Association (VASTA). Associate Director and adjunct professor of Theatre, Benjamin Curns, makes his directorial debut at SCSU; he will be directing the production of Red Velvet in February 2020. As a fierce lover of Shakespeare, Benjamin has appeared in all but six of the canon's including the title roles in Richard III, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Henry VIII, and Hamlet. Benjamin received his MFA in Acting from the Professional Actors Training Program at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was also awarded the David Hammond Award for Excellence in Dramatic Art.

The production boasts a talented team behind-the-scenes as well. One of the five players in the show, Ariana Harris, also works as Props Crew Manager for Crescent Players. SCSU Theatre graduates Amelia Pizzoferatto ('17), Cailey Harwood-Smith ('17), and Katie Brown ('18) have returned as Scenic Charge Artist, Props Master, and Master Electrician, respectively. Pizzoferatto and the entire paint crew's exceptional work can be seen in the detailed set piece reminiscent of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, a detail noted on by Scenic and Lighting Designer, Assistant Professor of Theatre Douglas Macur.

The mission for the department is to provide comprehensive theatre training of the highest quality, to foster students' personal and artistic development, and to emphasize experiential learning and access to the profession. This can be seen through SCSU Theatre's involvement with the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, New England Theatre Conference, and its continued partnership with Elm Shakespeare Company. The 2019-20 season returns in Spring 2020 with Red Velvet (Feb. 28-Mar. 7) and the festival of Student-Directed One-Acts (April 28-May 2).

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) will be performed in the Kendall Drama Lab (LY 141) in the John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts Main Stage (501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT). Performance dates/times: December 4th through 7th at 8:00PM; and December 7th at 2:00PM. Tickets are general admission: $15 for the general public; $10 for faculty/staff, senior citizens, and alumni (2 tickets with valid alumni ID); and $5 for students (2 with valid ID). Reserve your tickets here or call the Lyman Box Office at 203-392-6154. On Wednesday, December 4th, there will be a talkback after the performance with professors from SCSU's English Department and Elm Shakespeare Company.

To keep up with SCSU Theatre, visit the SCSU website or follow on Instagram and like on Facebook @scsutheatredept.

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Calling All Lovers Of Shakespeare! SCSU Theatre Presents THE COMPLETE WORKS - Broadway World

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The Sandusky County Probate Court reported the following marriage applications were filed betweenSept. 10 and Oct. 25:

Roy Lundy Alvin Eugene Crawford, 46, operator, and Heather Lee Ennis, 48, nursing assistant, both of Woodville.

Bryleigh Ragen Dakota Linton, 29, accounting manager, and Collin Daniel Wolf, 28, scheduler, both of Fremont.

Timothy Allen Shearer, 58, retired, Lawrenceville, Georgia, and Jesusa Ana Behee, 42, secretary, Fremont.

Gaje Lee Dayringer, 20, laborer, and Madison May Mosser, 19, unemployed, both of Fremont.

Gabriella Christina Egbert, 43, laborer, and Perry Gordon Hensinger, 43, maintenance, both of Fremont.

Taylor Jordyn Wamsley, 26, RN, and Brett Austin Wamsley, 28, engineering technician, both of Fremont.

Juel Renee Foster, 29, retail management, and William Donovon Stein, 31, welder management, both of Fremont.

Adam Michael Darr, 36, insurance, and Sarah Roseann Stevens, 33, counselor, both of Fremont.

Jared Scott Ballenger, 24, engineer, and Lindsay Leigh Lagrou, 25, caregiver, both of Fremont.

Sarah Catherine Bostic, 23, veterinary technician, and Benjamin Jennings Shaw, 23, crop adviser, both of Manilla, Indiana.

Jacob Edwin Smith, 21, welder, fabricator, Oak Harbor, and Brittany Marie Broadstock, 21, server, Green Springs.

Krista Rose Bump, 48, patient access advocate, and Robert Eugene McKinley, 59, retired, both of Greenfield, Indiana.

Grant Christopher Decker, 28, self-employed, Tiffin, and Taylor Nicole Michael, 25, production schedule, Fremont.

Shelbi Leigh Carlson, 30, RN, Canal Winchester, and David Edward Gower, 30, nuclear security, Clyde.

Salvadore Ramirez, 27, agriculture, and Vernonica Patricia Ramirez, 29, probate deputy clerk, both of Fremont.

Tyler Gregory Gerner, 24, general laborer, and Ashleigh Hunter Dix, 21, general laborer, both of Gibsonburg.

Randall Scott Sipperley, 33, forklift driver, and Jessie Demarise Pridemore, 45, dock and data clerk, both of Fremont.

Michael Frederick Zarecky, 46, service technician, and Angel Marie Morgan, 38, insulator, both of Fremont.

Johnathon Edward Jacobs, 29, supervisor, and Sonia Aydee Trina Reyes, 26, RN, both of Woodville.

Alexander M. Young, 43, Martin Marrieta, and Amanda Marie Ritchie, 29, homemaker, both of Fremont.

Nathaniel James Caudill, 30, railroad, and Dijana, 35, unemployed, both of Clyde.

Kiley A. Faggionato, 46, self-employed, and Rebecca L. Kuhlman, 46, RN, both of Bellevue.

Keith M. Harris, 38, forklift operator, and Vicky L. Deanda, 41, housekeeper, both of Fremont.

Gran Henry Peters, 23, student, Bowling Green, and Hailey Sheril Shafer, 23, housekeeper, Helena.

Kelsey Nichole Hurley, 27, site contract specialist, Cary, North Carolina, and John Robert Rospert, 28, server, Woodville.

David Paul Tucker Jr., carpenter, and Megan Sherrianna Whitt, 26, unemployed, both of Fremont.

Scott Daniel Wright, 31, self employed, and Olivia Marie Goin, 24, retail, both of Fremont.

Andrew J. Reinhart, 30, supervisor, and Ashley M.Racheter, 28, assistant manager, both of Fremont.

Tyler A. Kimmet, 33, bank teller, and Jordan A. Depew, 29, cake decorator, both of Green Springs.

William L. Batesole, 60, truck driver, and Elizabeth A. DeMars, 59, MHT, CDCA, both of Fremont.

Jonathan Alan Clemons, 30, retail manager, and Emily P. Shufledt, 27, retail manager, both of Fremont.

Brandon Jacob Lieske, 26, labor, and Anna Marie Leck, 23, operator, both of Clyde.

Benjamin J. Back, 30, production operator, and Alison N. Gabel, 30, teacher, both of Fremont.

Katherine Grace Shell, 24, contracts coordinator, and Devin Andrew Kremin, 28, maintenance Mechanic, both of Fremont.

Jasen Clark Schaffer, 41, garage door installer, Ottawa Lake, Michigan, and Tiffany C. Inman, 37, electrician, Gibsonburg.

Clinton A. Mccoy, 38, laborer, and Rachel R. Overmyer, 31, administrative, both of Fremont.

Caleb M. Robles, 32, stationary engineer, and Andres L. Sheehan, 27, supervisor, both of Fremont.

Alfredo Rainer Parraz, 20, sales associate, and Madison Alexandra Tonkin, 20, sales associate, both of Fremont.

Douglas Jacob Ely Evans, 27, nurse, and Kylie P. Wojdyla, 26, nurse, both of Fremont.

Howard L. Magers IV, 46, engineer, and Kelcey Lynn Frank, 29, engineer, both of Fremont.

Gabrielle Suzanne Risner, 25, home health, and Michael Wayne Addair II, 23, assembly operator, both of Fremont.

Richard Gale Hush Jr., 37, excavation, and Lynette Marie Fox, 35, landscape foreman, both of Fremont.

Dawn Renee Distel, 50, medical secretary, Clyde,and Jerry Ray Counts, 47, beer salesman, Elyria.

Shawn D. Zieber, 28, construction, Bellevue, and Cassidy Elizabeth Pugh, 25, food service, Clyde.

Billy J. Heishman, 28, Whirlpool, and Paige Riley Weaver, 25, supervisor/credit union, both of Clyde.

Gregory D. Miller, 36, contractor, and Kristen C. Hosang, 35, office manager, both of Fremont.

Dristen Glenn Cook 23, mail carrier, and Kate Elizabeth Jess, 21, nurse, both of Bellevue.

Cory Michael Rohrbacher, 28, teacher, and Brenah Krystyne Ickes, 25, teacher, both of Fremont.

Zachary Ryan Greene, 24, laborer, and Kelle Ann Zachariewicz, 24, aid, both of Vickery.

Calista Lorrin Hall, 27, technology specialist, Green Springs, and Ryan Michael Mott, 27, sales, Bellevue.

Renee Lynn Ackerman, 46, counselor, and Daniel Ray Matthews, 21, off bearer, both of Fremont.

Reid Thomas Johannsen, 26, inspector, and Brittany Lynn Hellman, 22, chef, both of Gibsonburg.

Dylan Andrew Smith, 27, oil tech, and Alexis Marie Brock, 22, unemployed, both of Bellevue.

Arden R. Rohrbacher, 85, and Helen Louise Dendinger, 84, both of Bellevue.

Lane Robert Plant, 19, military, and Kayla Michelle Clements, 18, chef, both of Fremont.

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Here are the marriage applications filed in Sandusky County - The News-Messenger

Concerned residents worried by an alarming spate of thefts, held a village meeting to discuss what could be done.

Kingsbury electrician Steve Horsham organised the meeting, which was attended by a Warwickshire Police representative and local councillors, after he himself had tools stolen from the back of his works van in October.

The DeWalt tools were worth approximately 800 but with damage to the vehicle it is an estimated 1,500.

I have never known it this bad, admitted Steve, aged 48.

It seems to be the last six to 12 months. We are right on the cusp district-wise, the escape roads are ridiculous. You can get pretty much anywhere in no time. It is easy picking. All we can do is shake the tree. If nothing comes from it then at least we have tried.

Explaining the reasons for the meeting, he said: When I opened the back of the van I found all the power tools had been taken. Metal work was peeled back and the locking mechanism damaged and exposed.

While assessing the damage another local trader came around the corner and explained his van, the same type, had been done in exactly the same way. I found out a number of other vans had also been done all over the estate.

I contacted Warwickshire Police. Lots of local interest followed and I felt there was a need to get people together to discuss these recent issues.

I posted on Facebook to see if there was sufficient interest in a meeting and initial responses convinced me it was worth pursuing, with the aid of local business the Wings Family which kindly allowed us to use the old country club free of charge.

I invited the local council, police and neighbourhood watch to attend.

PC Shane Bird gave a talk about what the police are doing to combat the problems and we had a general question and answer session.

Kingsbury councillor Andy Jenns said: Unfortunately we have spates of crime like this from time to time. It seems to me that the criminals target an area, move on to another, only to return again when everyone is off their guard. I would therefore encourage everyone to remain alert at all times and always report anything suspicious.

One of the things the police made clear was that resources are targeted at locations where there are the highest numbers of crime reports so even if it seems unlikely the police will be able to solve a particular crime, knowing where incidents are occurring will lead to a more visible police presence in those areas on a day-to-day basis.

I would like to thank the local residents who took time to attend the meeting and Stephen Horsham for organising it. It was sensible and constructive with some good suggestions being put forward.

One of the suggestions was to look into street lighting.

Steve added: Its not just because of the crime. We no longer live in a society of 9-5, Monday to Friday jobs and those who work shifts or do call outs in the middle of the night should be provided with the means to move about the estate in a safe manner.

We decided to form a petition. We have paperwork prepared that is being circulated and I want to get it out amongst the rest of Warwickshire as we cant be the only ones who want this.

There is another event on December 10, a community engagement evening with police, fire and the neighbourhood watch attending, Ill be there as well so hopefully we can get the ball rolling on this.

Warwickshire Police say: "Vans are often targeted by thieves for the tools stored inside. If you have to leave tools in a van overnight, its a good idea to mark them clearly with your name / company name and address using paint pens and seal with a clear lacquer spray. Alternatively, you can use a variety of other property marking systems. Items that are clearly marked are less desirable and more difficult to sell on.

"Consider using a lockable cabinet within your van to store tools a number of security rated products are available. Small cameras are also designed to record inside vehicles. Visit securedbydesign.comExternal Link for more details.

"You can also take photographs of items of value, make a note of the serial numbers and consider registering them online at a property register site like ImmobiliseExternal Link."

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Kingsbury villagers hold action meeting over spate of thefts - Birmingham Live

From the air, through the slightly hazy filter of the aircrafts windows, Ladakh looked like endless watercolours that refused to be framed by the horizon. On the ground, at 11,500ft above Mumbai, the painting was clearer but had acquired gentle waves, the mountains swaying slightly. Or it might have just been me feeling light-headed. Altitude does its mischief without delay. It takes about a day and a half to get used to. Our hotel was a short ride from the airport, and Jaideep Bansal, Chief Operating Officer of the Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE), was waiting at the lobby with a bottle of water with my name on it. Drink, he said, before I could say, Thank you, nice touch. I drank. And craving a hot Thukpa, I asked what was for lunch. Jaideep said the local food was unsuitable for visitors the moment they landed; it was very heavy. Lunch was paneer butter masala. Next followed briefings about the mission. The primary reason why 11 people from six countries (France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the US state of Texas, which has its own flag) had decided to walk, work and pay for this mission was the idea that they would trek to a village that has never seen a lit light bulb, that cannot be accessed except on foot, and bring the villagers from darkness to light. Our village was deep in the Zanskar Valley. Without argument, one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The idea that once can do that much good while on what would otherwise be called a holiday is tremendously attractive. Even at 11 subscribers. Somehow, authors Rudyard Kipling and Mark Twain both came to mind simultaneously as we headed west two days after landing.

Out of my window, the scenery moved by. I will leave all the purple prose that might otherwise have taken up space in the natural dyes of Roerichs paintings. But I will say this: you cant whizz past mountains. The scale is just too great. The mountains define the pace at which you pass them. All you can do is watchand close your mouth when its behind you. And open it again for the next one. And enjoy the journey with quiet gasps of breath. This is what was happening in our car. But in the trusted Tempo Traveller (otherwise known as the ass-breaker), things were a little different. I may have forgotten to mention this, but this expedition was targeted at future leaders, and the age spread was between 22 and 60-ish. Which is to say, one can never predict who our future leaders will be. At any rate, they were all in one tempo. And being asked, one by one, such questions as what is the boldest decision you have made?; what is your greatest success?; tell us about your greatest failure.

It was then, I suspect, that the mountains started speaking to me. I heard them slapping their icy palms against their foreheads and weeping dark mineral tears down their cheeks. They were quoting John McEnroe for some reason: You cannot be serious! (Alertspecifically, seniorreaders of this publication will remember the line call-challenging, profanity-spouting tennis genius of the 80s who immortalised the line.) In our car, theres some gasping, some exclamations, and some simpler questions: Man! Wow! See the colours there the shadows?

In the front seat, Paras Loomba, GHEs founder, allowed himself some ruminations. Already dabbling in homestays and astro-tourism (Ladakh has the clearest skies imaginable), he was now thinking of promoting marathons between two points in the Zanskar Valley. I did a quick calculation and suggested to Paras that the route here was good for two marathons and not just one: start one at either end, so the contestants collide at the finishing line in the middle

We arrived in Kargil, palpably different from Leh. The two always were, but the war in 1999 invested Kargil with a special tension

We arrived in Kargil, palpably different from Leh. The two always were, but the war in 1999 invested Kargil with a special tension

Stanzin Jigmet, a talented photographer from Mulbekh, a town close to Kargil and to bizarre moon-like landscapes that hypnotise tourists, was in the car with us. It was his job to document our expedition, and he was armed with a DSLR and a drone. Jigmet, who had so far been quiet, suddenly said: And we could send the drone up when they collide. The car shook with collective laughter, and it seemed to me that the mountains were speaking to Jigmet, as well. We arrived in Kargil, palpably different from Leh. The two always were, but the war in 1999 invested Kargil with a special tension and a lot more military. Tension that the sudden change of its status, to be part of the Union Territory of Ladakh rather than a district in Jammu and Kashmir earlier in the week of our journey, had exacerbated.

Independent Ladakh became a part of India in an unusual series of circumstances in the mid 19th century. The region was first overrun by vassals of Ranjit Singhs Sikh state. But in a matter of only a decade, the Sikhsand all their territory, including Ladakhwere under the British crown and then India in 1947. Although it was in 1962, when the Chinese bit off Aksai Chin to the east, that Ladakh was cut off both economically and spiritually.

The ancient trade route to Central Asia was gone, as was access to the Buddhist learning centres of Tibet. Ironically, it took a foreign invasion to glue Ladakh to India. However, a chunk of Ladakh, Kargil, is primarily Shia, which is why you see portraits of the Ayatollah on the walls of shops and eateries almost the moment you enter the district. Its also why its population has a historically uneasy relationship with the Sunni-backed separatists of Srinagar. (Think Iran vs Saudi Arabia)

For the Dalai Lamas photographs to reappear, you need to reach the Buddhist Zanskar Valley. The differences are visual: the onion domes and spires of mosques give way to the cubist lines of gompas; the maroon and yellow of robes replace the greens of flags and signage against the cold desert landscape. The Buddhists and Muslims of this region have coexisted separately (the traditionalists dont eat together) but peacefully over nearly a thousand years. Their food, of course, is different. Having been denied my thukpa in Leh, I was looking forward to a taste of balti, the aroma of which is all over Kargil.

The chef asked me for a review of his version of the dish. I told him it was missing some opium.

The chef asked me for a review of his version of the dish. I told him it was missing some opium.

That evening, I inspected the hotel buffet. And one dish stood out: Chicken Khurana. Bemused, I walked up to the chef and asked, Who is this Khurana? Is he local? The chef allowed himself an uncomfortable laugh. Heh, heh, its a special recipe from a film. One of the future leaders at my table told me there was indeed a film called Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, in which a dhaba owner dies out of the blue without revealing the secret recipe of his establishments signature dish. The predictable comic search follows, until someone accidentally drops a bit of the late patriarchs opium stash into the pot. And everybody is addicted to Chicken Khurana again. The chef asked me for a review of his version of the dish. I told him it was missing some opium.

After an early start the next morning, we stopped for a snack. What sandwiches are these? a participant asked. In a trance, I merely relayed what the mountain had just whispered to me: Sandwich a la Saklecha. Our destination was Tangtse, and it would take the better part of three days to get to it. While our journey may have started in Leh, it had really begun months ago. The reason: Tenzin Chonjor, a wiry, ever-smiling young fellow from a one-house (his house) hamlet almost directly below the 2,500-year-old Phugtal Monastery. He was the one who surveyed villages that needed electrification.

It was also his job to get communities to agree to one of the key principles that GHE follows: tourists or corporates pay for the panels and microgrids GHE fixes, but the community is responsible for their maintenance. Each village must open a bank account and contribute Rs100 a month so the infrastructure isnt neglected. No account, no panels. Chonjor is particularly suited to this job because of his other professionhe is also this vast valleys postman. He makes his collection trips once a week and ties up with a counterpart who comes from Leh. In the winter, this drops to once a month or less, and he must trek across the chadar, as the ice sheets of frozen rivers are known. His job is slightly easier, he says, than his colleagues: While there are villages for shelter on my run, he has to spend nights in caves. When there are no letters, Chonjor writes to himself and picks up his mail from Padum, says Jigmet. Chonjor must cross landslides and passes and bridges that seem to be made of twigs. What if he fell, I ask him. That would be speed post is Jigmets response. The mountains were really speaking to him. We arrived, finally, in Tangtse, a cluster of around 20 homes spread across a couple of hamlets.

The next morning, Independence Day. A public holiday. But a working day for expeditioners. It was time for Shakir Hussain to take over. He was a man of clear thoughts, with no formal training as an electrician and a slightly incongruous fear for someone who works at an altitude. On many electrification jobs, he has had to cross rickety, high-slung bridges across rampant rivers, or carry equipment clinging to mountainsides, as hungry rocks waited below. I prefer to cross bridges at night, he said Why? Because you cant see in the dark. I have been terrified of heights since I was a child. As for his electrical work, hes so competent that he can do it with his eyes closed. He had done the wiring for the grids in advance. The future leaders (now temporary electricians) were divided into teams that would carry the solar panels to the roofs and do some of the fitting. Hussain laid out the equipment, bulbs, holders, wires, screws, pliers, hammers and other materials and reminded the participants sombrely that anything lost would mean darkness for the people they had come to help.

The teams got to work with enthusiasm. Competing against each other to get the job done. (Even I, who generally prefers to observe work rather than really do it, was ambushed into fixing a bulb holder, a task I performed quite artistically.) The expeditioners were extremely happy, their sense of accomplishment making their sweat glisten. I mentioned Mark Twain earlier. Do you recall Tom Sawyer making his friends feel like it was a privilege to paint his fence? Delightful.

The solar microgrids set up in Tangtse mirror those GHE installed in other villages earlier. The panels soak up the sun, and 12-volt batteries allow seven (GHE-made) light bulbs and a few appliances to work for about 10 hours in a household. This may include four hours of televisiona limit built in by GHEif the villagers buy the ones it manufactured (Rs11,500 apiece). The TVs, like everything else, work on direct current. One reason to use DC (most modern appliances run on alternating current, as is the power in your home) is that there are fewer transmission losses. The other is that shocks are much milderbelow 48 volts. The downside: it cant be transmitted over long distances like AC can.

Here in Zanskar, DC could be the only option for basic needs. On the way to Tangtse, even in hamlets like Fotu Lalok right on the highway from Leh to Kargil, the high wires that serve army posts dont stoop to reach places like Nawangs tea stall, Enfield service station and homestay. The cost of drawing wires from the main grid to the spread-out villages of Ladakh, where most of its 3,00,000-odd population lives, is deemed too high. This is the power gap GHE aims to plug.

On our return journey to Leh, Loomba stopped and pointed to a pass in the mountains. It was that pass (Kongski La, 17,000ft) that he had been trying to cross six years ago with the help of a guide who was a certified mountaineer. It was night, and the mountaineer had surrendered his role to Loomba in despair. They had been looking for a village called Sumda Chenmoa village without electricity. What they had found was a couple of old herdsmen, huddled in a 4x4ft shanty, listening to a Chinese radio station (the only airwaves available). Shelter for the night was given and directions the next morning. Thats how I met (Tsering) Dorje. The men in the hut were his grandfather and a relative. Dorje was about to leave his village but stopped when I told him why I had come.

This was July 2013. Loomba came back the next month with modest solar lanterns. Soon after, with the cooperation of the local villagers, he and Dorje (a trained electrician) installed a solar microgrid. And with that, you could say, GHE was born. By the time this article is on the stands, the company will have covered 100 villages in the region. Along the way, GHE picked up a slew of international awards and a place at the table at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

That the story starts with the attempted distribution of a few solar lanterns is genuinely moving. That Dorje came on board and has played a major part in the near-100 projects since is equally touching. And a touching story is like the opium in the Chicken Khurana. It gets people hooked. Of the 11 participants on the expedition, four had crowdfunded their trip, and each had to tell their donors a story. In broad strokes, the stories were similar. Their underlying themes: they had been selected to be part of a future leaders expedition; the mission was to take a remote village from darkness to light; the inaccessibility of the village (non-motorable); and the lasting impact of their tripleaving behind a basic infrastructure facility that would be sustainable and green. The fourth is something that everyone agreed on after the expedition was completed. But Tangtse didnt fit the second two. Several of its homestays had power in the areas the host family used, even if erratically. One of the crowd-funders I spoke to said this was the first shock. Other participants were surprised but more tempered. Most of those who paid their own way said it didnt really matter.

But where did this light come from? The fact is that the faint government footprints, planted decades ago, could still be seen, though the story they told was a story of neglect. I asked Motup Tashi about this, the dish antennas and the cell phones that people possessed, toys that didnt work because there was no network. Tashi lives in a hamlet of Tangtse but attended a senior school in Delhi and then Ramjas College. He has a masters degree in environmental science. He told me he would study by kerosene lamp when he was four or five, but a couple of years after that, solar power came to his village. He is 27.

However, the power went off about a decade ago, and no one came to fix the lines. Winters became harder. And this is how GHE reinterprets its darkness to light pitch: the darkness of the winter is lit up by its bulbs. The presence of satellite TV dishes had puzzled the participants of the expedition on arrival. These were put up partly with the hope that the precarious power systems in some homes would work, so a subsistence diet of news and entertainment could be consumed. Now that they had a microgrid, Tashi said, his father had decided to invest in a GHE TV set. As for the cell phones, he laughed. Those had to be taken to Padum, the nearest town with mobile reception (70km away) where people could make calls and download stuff for the dreary wintermuch like the way they stored dried yak meat.

By taxi, it takes Rs600 to Rs700 to reach Padum from the village. Given the distance, you cant usually return the same day, so add a nights stay to the mix and you could be spending Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 just to make a phone call to find out the results of a job interview. In some ways, the Rs3,000 phone call tells the story of Zanskar being cut off better than the lack of a metalled road. Because these places are accessible by road. Not good ones, but roads. The joke in these parts is that its better to be close to Pakistan; you get good roads. Our journey back to Leh was bumpy but entirely motorable. The vehicles were parked at Tangtse all along.

As for the first theme, that of selection, participants told me there were a few calls that covered how they would pay (and some haggling), their general health and their overall interests. In short, it was if you pay, you go. But being selected works well for crowd-funders. The arbitrage comes from the vicarious gratification felt by donors who wished they had the time to invest in a fortnight of adventure and goodness. One of the participants, somewhat alarmed by the high cost of the journey, put together a generous estimate of his own: it worked out to about a thousand dollars less. Such a price would make a trip like this much more accessible to young Indian travellers. The main costs, of course, were the panels and personnel. The stay was inexpensive (shared tents and village homestays). As for the food, there were pancakes and pasta (nearly a local staple like Maggi) and one day, there was even a pizza. But where was the local food?

It was planned, the organisers said, for our last evening in Tangtsewhen the lights would be lit and there would be a celebration. That celebration never happened: there was just a simple ceremony at the village monastery. A little girl, all of three, who belonged to the village had passed away. And even though everyone had done their best to light Tangtse up that evening, it was this gloom that hung over all of us. GHE is an organisation that cant be slotted comfortably into a particular category. It isnt an NGO, but its work resembles that of one. GHE treks to where the government has only carelessly trodden. Its certainly not charitable, but in its communication, it attempts to foster the spirit of altruismin its clients, and their friends, and their friends.

On our last day, I find Loomba in the lobby of the Leh resort engaged in a webinar with participants of the next expedition. Amid talking about the mission, he says, We believe that people work best with their stomachs full, so we will have our own cooks you can even expect pizza. I was about to add and Chicken Khurana, but a wise mountain told me not to.

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In Ladakh, bringing power to the people is complicated business - Cond Nast Traveller India - The Last Word in Travel

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GreenApple Labs

GreenApple Labs was created and introduced to all students to develop key trade profession competencies with equipment they will use as employees on the jobsite. Greenlee developed a series of standardized competency-based, hands-on modules that provide key skill sets required by employers as they enter the workforce. In partnership with the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), students that successfully complete courses in the five core electrical trade categories: bending, cutting and termination, fishing and pulling, test and measurement, and wire pathways, are awarded a certificate signifying their knowledge and hands-on competency. Completed certificates meet Industry Based Credentials (IBC) requirements, which are recognized by the local, state and several national certifying entities (BICSI, ETA-I). The hands-on program includes a series of training modules that not only educates students on new technology that an electrician may need to know but reinforces fundamental skillsets while in the controlled environment of a classroom.

People interested in learning more about GreenApple Labs need to connect with Steve Lehr, director, vocational education business development at steven.lehr@emerson.com; learn more about GreenApple Labs at greenlee.com/green-apple-labs.

FSG Training

Currently, 200 students are enrolled in FSG's program. Instructor-led courses utilize training from GreenApple Labs, the National Center for Construction Education and Research, and on-the-job training. Apprentice programs consist of four levels of electrical training through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and help fulfill the necessary hours of on-the-job experience. Apprentice opportunities are offered at nine FSG locations, including: Austin, Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio, Chicago, Indianapolis, Southern California, and New York. Individuals interested in learning more about the FSG apprentice training program should visit www1.fsgi.com/careers/training.

Emerson's Professional Tools businesses include Greenlee as well as the RIDGID and Klauke brands and provides the industry's broadest portfolio of advanced, reliable tools and technologies for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing trades globally. Visit emerson.com/professionaltools for more information.

About EmersonEmerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and residential markets.Our Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid, and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs.Our Commercial and Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency, and create sustainable infrastructure.For more information visit Emerson.com.

About FSGFSG is a registered trademark of Facility Solutions Group and the company is one of the nation's largest providers of cost-effective, comprehensive solutions to lighting, electrical, technology and signage problems. Established in 1982 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, FSG offers customers time and money-saving advantages of a single-source provider, designing, fabricating, installing, supporting, and servicing turnkey solutions that lower ownership costs both now and throughout the solution's usable life. For more information on FSG, please visit www1.fsgi.com.

Greenlee Tools, Inc. 2019

For more information, contact:Agency Contact: Liz Dorland 402.437.6066 lizd@swansonrussell.comGreenlee Corporate Contact: Michael Farris 815.312.6839 Michael.Farris@emerson.comFSG Corporate Contact: Cory Bruner 512.440.7985 ext. 12160 cory.bruner@fsgi.com

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Emerson Partners with FSG to Deliver GreenApple Labs Training from Greenlee to Help Solve the Skills Shortage - PRNewswire